Ding Junhui reached the final of the UK Snooker Championship after defeating Tom Ford.
The three-time champions reached their Final Four with a 6-3 victory over the Barbican in York.
Ding had beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 in the quarter-finals when the world number one suffered his first defeat at a Triple Crown event in his 30-year career and led 5-0 in the semi-finals before Ford fought back. .
“I missed a great chance to win 6-0,” Ding told the World Snooker Tour. “I got the wrong shots with the colored balls and he started to play more relaxed. I looked away a bit and maybe lost my focus a bit.
“He hasn’t lost anything in the last few frames. I love playing here, since the first time I beat Steve Davis in 2005, I love this place. I always feel good at the Barbican.”
Ding is aiming for the title he last won in 2019 and opened up a 5-0 lead as another vindication appeared to be on the cards.
But world number 32 Ford, who defeated Joe Perry 6-4 in the quarter-finals, fought back to bring the score to 5-3 with breaks of 77, 64 and 64.
Another break of 64 gave him a chance to make it 5-4, but Ding was able to finish him off to make the ninth frame 75-64 and reach Sunday’s final.
He will face either Mark Allen or Jack Lisowski, who will play in the other semi-final on Saturday night.
Ding Junhui reached the final of the UK Snooker Championship after defeating Tom Ford.
The three-time champions reached their Final Four with a 6-3 victory over the Barbican in York.
Ding had beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan 6-0 in the quarter-finals when the world number one suffered his first defeat at a Triple Crown event in his 30-year career and led 5-0 in the semi-finals before Ford fought back. .
“I missed a great chance to win 6-0,” Ding told the World Snooker Tour. “I got the wrong shots with the colored balls and he started to play more relaxed. I looked away a bit and maybe lost my focus a bit.
“He hasn’t lost anything in the last few frames. I love playing here, since the first time I beat Steve Davis in 2005, I love this place. I always feel good at the Barbican.”
Ding is aiming for the title he last won in 2019 and opened up a 5-0 lead as another vindication appeared to be on the cards.
But world number 32 Ford, who defeated Joe Perry 6-4 in the quarter-finals, fought back to bring the score to 5-3 with breaks of 77, 64 and 64.
Another break of 64 gave him a chance to make it 5-4, but Ding was able to finish him off to make the ninth frame 75-64 and reach Sunday’s final.
He will face either Mark Allen or Jack Lisowski, who will play in the other semi-final on Saturday night.
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