Ding Junhui holds off Thepchaiya Un-Nooh to claim second Six Red World Snooker Championship – 'I believe in myself'

Updated 11/03/2023 at 14:59 GMT

Ding Junhui joined Stephen Maguire and Mark Davis as multiple Six Red world champions with an 8-6 victory over popular Thai speed merchant Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in Pathum Thani on Saturday. The three-time UK champion never trailed Thepchaiya in a pulsating final, but was pushed all the way after surging 5-2 and 7-4 clear as he added to his 2016 title victory at the elite event.

'One of the best escapes I've seen' - Ding makes 'sensational' pot

Ding Junhui held his nerve superbly to secure a second Six Red World Championship with an 8-6 victory over home favourite Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in Pathum Thani.

The Chinese sporting icon lifted the trophy in 2016 with a last-gasp 8-7 win over Stuart Bingham, but dominated the 14th frame before a vociferous home crowd to avoid being forced to another final-frame decider.

Ding joins Mark Davis (2012, 2013) and Stephen Maguire (2014, 2019) as a multiple winner of the elite Bangkok invitational event and also earns a sturdy cheque worth £100,000 for his efforts over the past week.

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He defeated Maguire (5-2), world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan (6-2), 2015 world champion Bingham (6-2) and German Masters finalist Tom Ford (7-4) in his run to the showpiece match, but had to find some of his best matchplay form to repel the threat of Un-Nooh, winner of the Six Red trophy on home soil in 2015.

It is his first major title victory since lifting his third UK title in 2019 with a 10-6 win over Maguire in York.

It is also ideal timing as the former Masters winner bids to become China's first world champion with 15 reds next month at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

“I was hoping to get a chance in the black ball area at 7-4 up," Ding told World Snooker. "I actually had two great chances to win and missed a few shots.

"It is a bit lucky for me. I just believe in myself and try to pot more balls than everybody.

“The Six Red is quite fun for the players. There were some players coming here for the first time like Ronnie and Judd (Trump). It is fun and games and good to play in.

“I just need to keep my head still and do everything right. I will go back to practice and work hard for the end of the season.”

Ding had sped 2-0 clear with opening breaks of 72 and 71, but his opponent rose to the challenge superbly to restore parity at 2-2 buoyed by a 51 in the third frame at the Thammasat University Convention Centre in Pathum Thani near the Thai capital.

Another Ding surge saw him win three straight frames for a 5-2 advantage only for the spirited Un-Nooh to close to 5-4 behind.

A key moment of a taut contest saw Thepchaiya escape from a snooker in the 11th frame after losing position leading 29-1 on the colours. He hit the yellow only to see the object ball plant itself onto the pink and land in the right middle.

Amid the groans of the audience, Ding produced a nerveless clearance to pinch the frame on the black for a 7-4 lead. It was a cruel blow from which the former Shoot Out winner Un-Nooh could not recover.

Despite extending the final by snaring the next two frames, with Ding somehow missing a mid-range pink leading 17-0 in the 13th frame, a bad miss by Un-Nooh on a long black hanging over a pocket in the 14th proved to be fatal as he tried to force a decider.

With the tension mounting, Ding regrouped to finally see out the match with all the balls ideally positioned for the winning thrust.

A tricky red down a side rail and black to left middle disappeared before he potted the final yellow. It was enough to prompt the concession from his opponent in completing a merited victory after he thumped the table in some delight.

“I feel good. I think everybody enjoys coming to Thailand to play Six Red," said Ding. "There isn’t much pressure with the ranking points, so it is relaxed. The organisation was so good for the tournament. I am happy to come here and win again."

Six Red World Championship final