Ding Junhui swept Wafei 5-0 and the new Chinese snooker brother advanced to the semifinals of the World Open
On March 22, 2024, the Snooker World Open, which is being held in Yushan, Jiangxi, ended the competition for the quarterfinals. In this important event, Chinese player Ding Junhui showed an amazing performance, sweeping Iran's Hossein Vafi with a score of 5-0, and reached the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time in eight years. Ding Junhui played a high-level performance of 73 points, 74 points, 135 points and 102 points in a single stroke in this game, and won 5 consecutive games, completely suppressing Wafei and showing the demeanor of a generation of rookies.
The process of the game
At the beginning of the 1/4 finals, Ding Junhui took the initiative. In the game, he quickly took the lead with his steady style of play and precise attack. Although Wafei also had some offensive opportunities, Ding Junhui's defensive counterattack left him in vain. Ding Junhui scored 73 points in a single stroke in this game, taking the lead with a total score of 89-35.
In the game, Ding Junhui maintained a high level of performance. His every putt was precise and powerful, breaking through Wafai's defence time and time again. At halftime, Ding Junhui already led with a score of 74-0. Although Wafei fought back after the break, Ding Junhui responded calmly and finally won the next game with a score of 105-37.
Entering the second half, Ding Junhui's condition became better and better. In the game, he played a peak performance of 135 points in a single stroke, completely suppressing Wafei. Although the score in the fourth game was relatively flat, Ding Junhui's defensive counterattack was still comfortable and won the game 68-35. In the decisive game, Ding Junhui once again played a high-level performance of 102 points in a single stroke, swept Wafei with a total score of 5-0, and advanced to the semifinals.
Post-match comments
Ding Junhui admitted that he was very excited about this victory. "I'm happy to be in the semi-finals of the World Open for the first time in eight years. It's the second semi-final in a major tournament in recent years, so it means a lot to me. Ding Junhui said that he will continue to stay focused and fully prepare for the next games.
The next round of opponents and
With this victory, Ding Junhui will face a tough opponent in the semi-finals - Neil Robertson from Australia. Robertson is one of the top players of the day, having won several major tournaments. Ding Junhui has full thoughts about the upcoming showdown.
"Robertson is undoubtedly a strong opponent and his experience and quality should not be underestimated. I believe that as long as I keep my touch and play at my best, I will have a chance to beat him. Ding Junhui said confidently.
If Ding Junhui can defeat Robertson in the semi-finals, he will be expected to reach the finals and win the heavyweight event for himself. Regarding this prospect, Ding Junhui said: "Of course, winning the championship is my goal, but I pay more attention to my own performance. As long as you play game by game and go all out, the final result will naturally come naturally. ＂
Regardless of whether he can win the championship in the end, Ding Junhui's outstanding performance in this World Open has made him show the demeanor of the new Chinese snooker. For many years, Ding Junhui has been regarded as the future star of Chinese snooker, but for various reasons, his career once fell into a trough. This return to peak form has made fans have high hopes for him to regain glory in the future.