Ding Junhui remained on track for a first ranking title in five years as he came from 5-2 down to beat Xu Si 9-6 in the semi-finals of the International Championship.
Playing on home territory in Nanjing in China's Jiangsu Province, not far from his home city of Yixing, 37-year-old Ding has returned to form this week and will receive support from his fans when he meets Chris Wakelin in the final on Sunday, with first to ten frames to lift the trophy and earn £175,000. Wakelin can take heart from the fact that he beat Ding 5-3 at last month's Wuhan Open.
World number nine Ding had won just three matches in ranking events this season before this week, but has now won six in this tournament alone, and one more would give him a first ranking title since the 2019 UK Championship. He is aiming for a 15th ranking title in all and will be playing in his 24th ranking final - but has lost his last three, at the UK Championship in 2022 and 2023 as well as the 2024 World Open. Asia's greatest ever player is looking to win the International Championship for the second time having banked the top prize in 2013.
Xu has had the best week of his career having made a 147 and knocked out Judd Trump, but missed the chance to reach his first ranking final. He made a fast start today with breaks of 69, 137 and 113 to lead 3-0, then Ding took the next two with 119 and 77, but trailed 5-3 at the end of the first session. As the evening session got underway, Ding took three in a row with top breaks of 69 and 63 to lead 6-5. Xu took the 12th and he was on 42 in the 13th when he ran out of position, then later missed a tough long pot on the final green, gifting Ding a 7-6 lead.
Early in frame 14, world number 49 Xu went for a mid-range red and was unlucky to leave it in the jaws of a top corner, setting up Ding for a break of 66 to go two ahead with three to play. Again in the 15th Xu had a scoring chance, but a red to top corner on 29 missed its target. Ding showed his renowned cue ball control in a delightful run of 58 to cross the winning line.
"In the first session, Xu played really well," said Ding. "I didn’t have many opportunities in the first half, and he managed century breaks with great sharpness, making the most of his chances. However, he wasn’t quite at the same level in the second session. He had many chances tonight but lost the first three frames, which impacted his mindset.
"Any player in good form over a week can achieve great results. If rankings alone determined outcomes, Judd Trump might as well just pick up the trophy and go. A higher ranking doesn’t guarantee winning by a wide margin, it only means a slightly better chance of victory. Chris Wakelin recently has been consistent, performing well over several tournaments. I don’t think much about my opponent, though, as many small details in a match can change the outcome."
Xu said: "I was feeling good in the first session, but my focus seemed to slip in the second, and I made more mistakes. I had plenty of opportunities but struggled throughout, unable to get the positioning I wanted, and my safety play was quite average. Overall, aside from the second session in this match, I’m pretty satisfied with my performance in the tournament. Now my goal is to qualify for the Players Championship."