Ding Junhui makes winning start to UK Championship snooker title bid as 147 attempt falls short, Ricky Walden out

ByEurosport

Updated 09/11/2022 at 08:44 GMT

Ding Junhui won the UK title in 2005, 2009 and 2019 and showed on Tuesday at Ponds Forge in Sheffield that he still has the class to claim a fourth victory this year. The Chinese icon eased past Thepchaiya Un-Nooh with a 6-2 success and also missed the final yellow having made 120 in a 147 attempt in the second frame. Ding next faces Gibraltar Open champion Robert Milkins for a last-32 place.

‘What a shame!’ – Disappointment as Ding Junhui 147 bid falls narrowly short

Ding Junhui began his quest for a fourth UK Championship title with a resounding 6-2 win against Thai speed merchant Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in Sheffield.

The former Masters winner missed the final yellow in a 147 attempt in the second frame having compiled 120, but added further knocks of 123 and 78 to secure a meeting with Gibraltar Open holder Robert Milkins in the final qualifying round on Thursday at 1pm (GMT) live on Eurosport.

Un-Nooh ran in 105 of his own in the fifth frame, but lost the final three frames to crash out.

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Milkins was a 6-3 winner against Zhang Anda despite contributing a highest break of only 64 in the sixth frame.

2003 UK champion Matthew Stevens showed his enduring class with a 6-2 win against the talented former European Masters winner Fan Zhengyi.

Stevens produced a flurry of breaks with 62, 67, 74, 96 and 109 carrying him 5-1 clear.

Fan responded with a classy 125 in the seventh frame, but Stevens saw out the victory in the eighth frame to secure a match with Wu Yize in the final qualifying round on Wednesday evening.

Watch as Ding hits head against table in frustration after miss

World No. 18 Ricky Walden is out after losing 6-3 to Ian Burns, ranked at 83 in the world, while Hong Kong Masters finalist Marco Fu was eliminated by the same scoreline against Anthony Hamilton just after midnight.

Two-time world finalist Ali Carter hit breaks of 130, 66 and 79 as he recovered from trailing 3-1 in a 6-3 victory against Peter Lines, but former Crucible semi-finalist Gary Wilson suffered a surprise 6-4 defeat to tour rookie Andres Petrov of Estonia.

The final 16 places to determine who join the top 16 players in York will be decided over Wednesday and Thursday.