On January 13th, as the hands of the clock moved steadily in Beijing time, the second day of the first round of the Snooker Masters continued in an orderly fashion. In this match, Ding Junhui, known as the "Asian No. 1," faced off against Mark Williams, who is affectionately known as the "most accurate man in the world." This match was full of twists and turns, with both sides refusing to give ground, making each game a nail-biter. Ding Junhui, relying on his solid skills and tenacious fighting spirit, eventually won a thrilling victory over Mark Williams with a score of 6-5, securing his place in the quarter-finals without any major hiccups. It's worth noting that this victory holds significant meaning for Ding Junhui, as he had previously experienced the embarrassment of being eliminated in the first round in the 2020, 2021, and 2024 Masters tournaments. This successful advancement not only ended this string of misfortunes but also elicited cheers from many fans.
After Ding Junhui's successful advancement, three spots in the quarter-finals of the Snooker Masters have been determined, with these three players being Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy, and Ding Junhui.
The Snooker Masters held this time is an invitational event. It's noteworthy that this tournament has a unique aspect: although the prize money is quite substantial, it does not award points. It only extends invitations to the top sixteen ranked players in the world, making it akin to a "red envelope competition" specifically prepared for these top sixteen players. Any player who secures a spot in the competition immediately receives a prize of 25,000 pounds, which is no small sum among snooker events, quite generous. The champion's prize money for this year's Masters has seen a significant increase, rising to 350,000 pounds, a full 100,000 pounds more than the previous year, a substantial increase. However, there is something quite regrettable: Ronnie O'Sullivan, hailed as the number one snooker player in the world, has chosen to withdraw from this competition. As a result, fans will not be able to witness O'Sullivan's astonishing skills on the Masters stage. Fortunately, Chinese players Ding Junhui, Si Jiahui, and Zhang Anda have successfully secured their places in the competition. Additionally, Neil Robertson can be considered quite lucky, as he was able to participate in this event due to O'Sullivan's withdrawal.
On the snooker field, a highly anticipated and exciting match unfolded between Ding Junhui and Mark Williams. This match could be seen as a collision between the "Five Tigers of the 80s" and the "Three Kings of the 75s," as well as a battle of strength between the 37-year-old Ding Junhui and the 49-year-old Mark Williams. Looking back at the careers of both, their resumes are equally impressive. Ding Junhui has won a total of 15 ranking titles in his snooker career and has even achieved seven maximum 147 breaks, but unfortunately, he has never managed to claim the World Championship trophy. On the other hand, Mark Williams holds 26 championship honors, has made three maximum breaks, and has been crowned World Champion three times, with remarkable achievements. Now at 37 years old, Ding Junhui seems to have bid farewell to his peak period early, even experiencing a five-year championship drought, which is undoubtedly regrettable. In stark contrast, the 49-year-old Mark Williams remains robust, having successfully captured two championship trophies last season, demonstrating that his abilities are still formidable. Such a peak confrontation, with both sides having their advantages, makes it difficult to predict who will emerge victorious.
At the start of the match, neither Ding Junhui nor his opponent were in great form, with both making several low-level mistakes during their shots. However, it was Ding Junhui who took the lead, successfully getting in position multiple times and ultimately winning the first game with a score of 75-36! In the second game, luck seemed to tilt towards Old Ma. He had multiple opportunities to get in position in this game and, with relatively stable play, scored 72-17, successfully winning back a game, with the scores now tied at 1-1. The third game was filled with drama. For some reason, Ding Junhui seemed to have turned into a brash fighter in this game, making an unexpected move where he hit the basketball K into the bottom pocket red ball. This violation not only cost him 5 points but also handed Old Ma a golden opportunity for a decisive victory. Old Ma didn't hesitate, seizing the opportunity to score 36 points. Interestingly, Old Ma then made a miscue during a shot, which could be seen as returning the favor for the opportunity Ding Junhui had given him. Fortunately, Ding Junhui quickly adjusted his state, scoring a remarkable 69 points after getting in position, ultimately winning another game with a score of 76-41, bringing the overall score to 2-1, with Ding Junhui temporarily in the lead. Looking at the fourth game, Ding Junhui did not play smoothly, stumbling along the way. Although he made an impressive long-range shot, unfortunately, he was unable to achieve continuous scoring from it. After only scoring 17 points, he made a mistake while cutting the blue ball. In the subsequent defensive battle, Ding Junhui inadvertently revealed a perfect opportunity at the pocket, allowing Old Ma to take advantage and score a single 57 points, ultimately winning the game easily with a score of 60-23. At this point, the overall score became 2-2, and the match entered a break.
In the crucial fifth game, Old Ma's state clearly improved, truly showcasing the style of the "most accurate man in the world" by scoring a high 70 points in a single stroke, finally taking the game with an absolute advantage of 78-0. In the sixth game, however, things became somewhat bumpy. Ding Junhui made a mistake while solving the ball, immediately revealing a perfect opportunity, which Old Ma took advantage of to score 27 points. But then he himself couldn't hold on and made a mistake. Then Ding Junhui got in position and scored a single 64 points, unfortunately making a mistake while hitting the yellow ball. In the subsequent defensive battle, Old Ma's snooker skills failed to win him an opportunity, and Ding Junhui ultimately won another game with a score of 64-45, tying the overall score at 3-3. In the seventh game, Ding Junhui once again exerted himself, scoring a single 60 points and successfully winning the game with this outstanding performance. In the eighth game, Old Ma was not willing to show weakness, scoring an ultra-high 136 points in a single stroke, quickly leveling the score again. The ninth game was even more intense, with Ding Junhui first scoring a single 66 points, but making a mistake while hitting the super-scoring black ball. Old Ma seized the opportunity to get in position twice, ultimately achieving a reversal in this game with a score of 67-66, with the overall score becoming 5-4, giving Old Ma the match point first. In the tenth game, Ding Junhui once again demonstrated his powerful strength, scoring a single 76 points and stubbornly dragging the match into the deciding game. In the deciding game, Mark Williams made a major mistake, and Ding Junhui seized the opportunity, scoring over 50 points in a single stroke, winning the game with a score of 90-0.
When Ding Junhui defeated Mark Williams with a score of 6-5, three indisputable facts emerged!
[Three Uncontested Facts]
The 37-year-old Ding Junhui successfully captured the Nanjing National Championship title this season, ending his five-year championship drought. Despite this, we must acknowledge that compared to those top players, he still has relatively obvious gaps in aspects such as long-range shots, opening shots, and defense. However, Ding Junhui is gradually returning to his peak state, which is already an undeniable objective fact.
The 49-year-old Mark Williams has performed brilliantly this season, already capturing the crown of the Invitational Tournament, maintaining an excellent state. Despite the passage of time and growing age, Mark Williams shows no signs of decline, instead displaying the vigor of an old soldier, undoubtedly still one of the top snooker players globally!
During the critical ninth game of this event, Ding Junhui actually made a mistake, missing what should have been an easy black ball. This one mistake caused the situation to change dramatically, allowing Old Ma to achieve a reversal in this game. However, Ding Junhui did not let this setback defeat him. He then displayed his super strength, continuously scoring two 50+ points, quickly completing a desperate counterattack and successfully winning the game! It is clear to feel that Ding Junhui in today's match had an almost overwhelming desire to win, and his serious and focused attitude during the match was rarely seen in recent times. Ding Junhui in such a state obviously possesses excellent competitiveness!