China snooker player Ding Junhui. (Photo : Getty Images)
Chinese snooker player Ding Junhui advanced in the semifinals of the 2016 Betfred World Snooker Championship after he pulled off a landslide 13-3 win over Welsh opponent Mark Williams in their best-of-25 frames quarterfinals match held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old Jiangsu, China native, who was the first competitor to reach the tournament's semis, led 6-2 after the first session's morning games then extended it to 10-2 in the evening with breaks of 109, 52, 95 and 73, as reported by Xinhuanet.
Williams, a former world no. 1 and currently no. 13 in the world, managed to win the 13th frame, though, but Ding continued his onslaught to capture the next three frames and finish the match early without having to go to an evening meeting in the second and final session.
"I got some easy chances in that match," Ding told reporters afterward. "After 2-2 things just changed. I think I controlled the match, I took my chances to make breaks. I have confidence and every time I see a chance I think I can go for it and make breaks."
"Mark didn't play the way he normally does, everyone finds it hard to play with a new tip. The day off is a bonus, I've never had that before, and I'm going to enjoy the day," he added.
Ding, also a former world no. 1 player, entered the tournament via the qualifying route after being dropped in the world's top 16 before the competitions.
He beat Englishman Martin Gould in the first round, 10-8, then subdued his former World Championship conqueror Judd Trump, 13-10, in the second round. Trump defeated Ding in the semis of the same tournament back in 2011.
"I got beat easily and, to be honest, deep down I knew I would, so I cannot really grumble," Williams said after the match, via BBC Sport. "I was playing, and feeling, brilliant. With the players left in, it was probably my best chance of winning the World Championship."
"But as soon as my tip split the night before, I knew then that my chances were gone. It was almost impossible. It didn't matter who I played," he said.
"He (Ding) played good but, in the first session, if I had my normal tip, I would have been in front."
