Ding Junhui fights back to beat Ben Woollaston in Round 1 of 2012 China Open snooker event
Reigning Welsh Open champion from China, Ding Junhui made a superb comeback from 0-4 down to clinch a classy victory over England’s Ben Woollaston in the first round of the 2012 China Open snooker tournament. The Comeback Kid was at the edge of receiving
a brutal defeat at the hands of the youngster but he sprang back impressively to take the match by a close score line of 5-4 in the end.
The local spectators present at the Beijing University Students Gymnasium arena lost all their hopes when they saw the local hero, Junhui tumbling 0-4 down to a mere youngster like Woollaston. The situation at the arena was so tense before the start of the
second session where the Chinese showed his class and built up the crowd’s hopes again.
The Star of the East made his mind to live up to the expectations of his fans and fought back brilliantly. He always likes to surprise his opponent and the crowd especially when he hits back from dead ends. The Chinese Sensation believes that he had a nervous
start but he stabled himself in the second session and took the game by surprise.
Speaking to World Snooker, Junhui said, I had a nervous start. The speed of the table felt different to the one I'd practised on. Early on I felt angry and bottled up, all I could do was hold it in. I was full of anger with myself.”
The 24-year-old added, “I just took it one shot at a time. I'd still be happy if I lost and played well, but I won while playing pretty badly. The audience was noisy and rowdy, the only thing you can do is focus and block it out.”
The 2012 Welsh Open winner fired some outstanding snooker shots to compile impressive breaks of 64, 69 and 111 during his run of the initial round game. He will next meet the World Number one, England’s Mark Selby in a nail biting encounter at the arena.
The pair has played at the same baize several times before and both are aware of each other’s potting abilities.
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