Ding Junhui takes lead over Mark Selby in quarter-final: World Snooker Championship 2011
Chinese ace Ding Junhui took a 5-3 early lead over the Englishman Mark Selby after the first session of their quarter-final clash of the World Snooker Championship 2011 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on Tuesday.
The second session of the quarter-final clash will resume on Wednesday.
The Jester from Leicester, Selby, opened up the frame with a splendid century clearance of 124 to get off the mark with 1-0 in the match. The centurion Selby already holds a record of most century breaks in a match that he made against Stephen Hendry in
his second-round match of the event recently.
The 24-year-old Chinese, Ding, replied superbly in the next frame with two fine half century knocks of 58 and 53 to clinch the second frame by 115-12 and level the match at 1-1. Ding has been in great form in the tournament especially after he defeated Stuart
Bingham 13-12 with a sensational comeback.
However, Ding continued nudging the 27-year-old Selby down in the match as he grabbed three consecutive frames at 96-22, 112-0 and 78-47 after pocketing a couple of stunning breaks of 63 and 65 to clinch a three-frame lead at 4-1 in the match.
The Leicester potter, Selby, did not take it easy and bounced back into the game to win the sixth frame by 0-138 firing two rattling knocks of 87 and 51 and moved one frame up on the scoreboard at 4-2. Selby’s performance in the sixth frame stunned Ding
and put him under stress.
The Jiangsu potter sprang back into the game again and potted a brilliant clearance of 77 to take the seventh frame with 116-0. It was followed by Selby’s 74-point break as he sparked his cue terrifically to end the first session of the best-of-25 frames
quarter-final by grabbing the eighth frame at 5-74.
The match will resume with the second session on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at the Crucible in Sheffield.
Meanwhile, ‘Rocket’ Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins are level at 4-4 after the first session of their quarter-final clash of the Championship. Both cuemen are among the top favourites to grab the title as they are at the peak of their form right now.
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