CHINA’S Ding Junhui, the first Asian player to reach the world snooker championship final, fought back from 6-0 down to trail world number one Mark Selby 10-7 after two sessions in Sheffield, England, on Sunday.

    The tournament’s first Asian finalist looked a shadow of the player who scored a record seven centuries in a high-quality semifinal victory against Alan McManus in the early stages.

    Selby — showing no signs of fatigue following a late-night last-four win over Marco Fu — won the second frame after needing a snooker and Ding failed to make the most of opportunities when they fell his way, conceding 325 points without reply at one stage.

    The Chinese recovered to salvage the closing two frames of the opening session and, after losing the first frame of the second, began to make further inroads into Selby’s lead.

    Looking more relaxed than he had done during his slow start, Ding fired in a brilliant century in frame 11, before an 89 won him the next.

    Ding then survived a marathon tactical battle in the 66-minute 15th to close within a frame of Selby, who will be grateful of a three-frame cushion after claiming the final two of the day, with tiredness leading to mistakes by both players in a lengthy last.

    Ding looked set to wrap up the second frame and level at 1-1 until an ambitious cut on a green to the center pocket failed to find its intended target. Selby managed to produce the snooker required and cleared to strike an early blow to Ding’s confidence, a setback that unquestionably contributed to his malaise over subsequent frames. Ding’s later fightback minimized the impact of his nightmare start.

    Selby is chasing his second world crown and would be in illustrious company should he complete the feat — Stephen Hendry (seven), Steve Davis (six), Ronnie O’Sullivan (five), John Higgins (four) and Mark Williams (two) make up the list of players to have triumphed at the Crucible on more than one occasion. (SD-Agencies)