China’s Ding Junhui sets up Judd Trump semi-final clash at Crucible: World Snooker Championship 2011
Chinese ace Ding Junhui defeated the Englishman Mark Selby to go head-to-head against the youngster Judd Trump in the semi-final of the World Snooker Championship 2011 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on Thursday.
The world number four played outstandingly to beat his opponent Selby in the quarter-final clash on Wednesday by a score line of 13-10.
Selby stunned the Chinese with a cracking clearance of 124 in the very first frame of the first session but the Jiangsu potter held his nerves and responded in a brilliant way. He sprang back with four consecutive frame wins at 115-12, 96-22, 112-0 and 78-47 followed by 116-0 in the seventh frame to end the session leading Selby at 5-3.
The Chinese Sensation led the English cueman Selby by 10-6 at the end of the penultimate session after smashing a couple of superb knocks of 121, 93 and 76. Selby could not get a chance to capitalise in the second session.
However, the match came to a turning point when the 27-year-old Selby bounced back terrifically in the final session and made a surprise visit on the table with four successive frame wins to make it 10-10. Ding seemed to have lost the hope for the semi-final spot but he gathered some courage and took the match with 13-10 after grabbing the next three frames.
“It was a big match tonight and when it got to 10-10 I thought I was gone,” said Ding. “But I told myself to keep strong, the 21st frame was vital and when I won it, it heaped the pressure back on him.”
The 24-year-old Chinese will next face the Ace Judd Trump in the semi-final of the Championship at the Crucible on Thursday, April 28, 2011.
About his match with the youngster, Ding said, “Trump will not be an easy opponent as he is playing really well and won the China Open coming into this tournament.”
The Bristolian potter Trump defeated the 2010 World Snooker Championship runner-up Graeme Dott with a splendid score line of 13-5 in the quarter-final at the same venue.
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