Ding Junhui and Ronnie O’Sullivan, two hottest snooker players in the world, will meet in Shenzhen later this month at the 2017 China-U.K. Snooker Star Challenge. Other Chinese top snooker players Liang Wenbo, Zhou Yuelong, Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong and U.K. stars Joe Perry, Michael Holt, Graeme Dott and Mark Williams will also compete at the event. Ding is the most successful Asian player. He rose to international prominence in 2002 after winning the Asian Under-21 Championship, the Asian Championship and becoming the youngest winner of the IBSF World Under-21 Championship at age 15. Ding achieved his first major professional successes in 2005 when he won the China Open and the U.K. Championship. After his win at the 2006 Northern Ireland Trophy, Ding became the third player after O’Sullivan and John Higgins to win three ranking titles before their 20th birthday. He has so far won a total of 12 major ranking titles, the most recent being the 2016 Shanghai Masters. In the 2013/2014 season, Ding equalled Stephen Hendry’s record of winning five ranking titles in a single season. He became the first Asian player to reach the final of the World Championship in 2016. Known as a prolific break-builder, Ding has compiled more than 450 century breaks in his career including six maximum breaks in professional play. He remains the only Asian player to be ranked world number one, a feat he first achieved in 2014 to become the 11th player to reach the top spot. O’Sullivan is noted for his rapid playing style, mercurial temperament and his ambivalent relationship with the sport. O’Sullivan holds the record for the most competitive century breaks with 874. He also holds the record for the most ratified maximum breaks in professional competition, and for the three fastest competitive maximum breaks, the quickest of which was compiled in 5 minutes and 20 seconds. Time: 2:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., July 28-29 Tickets: 480-3,880 yuan per match, 880-5,880 yuan for all-day pass Booking: 400-622-8228 Venue: Nanshan Cultural and Sports Center, 2106 Nanshan Boulevard, Nanshan District (南山区南山大道2106号南山文体中心) Metro: Line 1, Taoyuan Station (桃园站), Exit B (SD News) | 