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Dave H focus on ... Ding Junhui

Postby Monique

http://snookerscene.blogspot.com/2010/0 ... unhui.html?
FOCUS ON...DING JUNHUI
Ding Junhui’s season was one of much improvement after a couple of disappointing years.

Of the six world ranking titles contested he appeared in three finals, winning a gripping UK Championship battle against John Higgins.

However, the campaign ended in a second round defeat at the Crucible to Shaun Murphy. This in itself was no disgrace but Ding is still yet to appear in a World Championship quarter-final.

He did little wrong against an inspired Mark Williams in the second session of the China Open final and, from what I’m told, hardly made a mistake from 8-2 up to Murphy in the Wuxi Classic final, which he eventually lost 9-8.

Ding has defied the dire predictions that he had peaked as a teenager and would not settle down as a top player. It was easy – and forgivable – to expect much more of him considering his golden 18-month spell from March 2005 when he won the China Open, UK Championship and Northern Ireland Trophy.

Back then, he looked like a certain top four player and possible world champion. Neither of these has happened yet but, at 23, he still has plenty of time to add to his achievements.

Of course, he suffered that confidence-sapping drubbing to Ronnie O’Sullivan in the 2007 Masters final and had to deal with the expectations heaped on him by the largest country on the planet.

These have been eased by the emergence of Liang Wenbo, whose rise up the rankings may also have created a rivalry that has helped spur Ding on.

He seemed happier last season in general. Moving from his home to live in the UK was not easy but he appears to have settled now.

One change this season is his practice base. The World Snooker Academy is now a qualifying centre so Ding has had to find somewhere else, but I understand his manager is setting up a new facility in Sheffield so this won’t be such a seismic shift.

Ding starts the new season fifth in the rankings, his highest ever position. He started the campaign just gone struggling to stay in the top 16 so this represents a vast effort.

He remains a rather shy young man not entirely comfortable with the spotlight. People are made differently. It’s easy to say a sportsman should be this, that or the other but ultimately people are who they are.

Ding gets criticised because often in the arena he looks thoroughly fed up.

So what if he does? I’ve never understood the juvenile demand that players should ‘smile more.’ What if there’s nothing to smile about?

And how many top sportsmen or women go about with fixed rictus grins on their faces when they are trying to concentrate on playing their chosen game to the best of their ability?

He inevitably has people fussing around him trying to market him in a certain way or telling him how to behave. My advice is simple: let Ding be Ding.

Let him concentrate primarily on what he has loved doing since he first came across the game as a ten year-old on the table outside his family home: playing snooker.

This is what fascinates him. This is what inspires him. This is what he is really good at.

Re: Dave H focus on ... Ding Junhui

Postby Noel

Image


John Higgins Ding Junhui defeats Ding Junhui John Higgins to win Pukka Pies UK Snooker Championship.

Most Glorious Ding Triumphant Upset!



=o)

Noel

Re: Dave H focus on ... Ding Junhui

Postby Wildey

JohnFromLondonTown wrote:Has he entered any of the PTC events yet?

no

the deadline for PTC3 Entry was yesterday and we should know who entered by 5pm on Thursday.

Re: Dave H focus on ... Ding Junhui

Postby SnookerFan

Noel wrote:Image


John Higgins Ding Junhui defeats Ding Junhui John Higgins to win Pukka Pies UK Snooker Championship.

Most Glorious Ding Triumphant Upset!



=o)

Noel



As this thread is about Ding, I'll concentrate on one of the more important aspects.... Are Pukka Pies going to sponsor the UK this season?

Re: Dave H focus on ... Ding Junhui

Postby Bourne

A good read and some points I agree with especially that Liang Wenbo's emergence has helped him enormously. At the moment I think there are two very important goals he must have to set: Beat Ronnie O'Sullivan and finally lay 2007 to rest and get that world quarter-final. If he can achieve both of those next season i'll be happy, I don't think there's any need to rush, he is only 23 and if he's not winning the Worlds next year one would be stupid to assume his chances are gone forever.

Re: Dave H focus on ... Ding Junhui

Postby Wildey

Ding is a proven winner he will continue in that vein.

Re: Dave H focus on ... Ding Junhui

Postby SnookerFan

I think Ding's problems are more with self-belief then skill. Bear in mind he had already beaten Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final of the Northern Irelan trophy before he faced him in that infamous Masters final. After that happened, he was clearly not the same player in the next season or two. I think playing Ronnie again so soon at the World Championship that year, and that scared him. Maybe this could count for him having Crucible demons.

It was very satisfying indeed to seem him get some belief/form back this season. You could argue that winning a second UK Championship was down to the same said belief, in that he knew what it took to win that one, but also he had a Grand Prix final and a China Open final.

We all want to see him bother the latter stages, and I agree with what's been said. A win or two over the Rocket over the next couple of seasons would finally put that one to an end as well, and maybe Ding can deliver on his early promise.