DEFENDING champion Ding Junhui survived a tough test at the Snooker World Open, beating compatriot Yuan Sijun 5-3 Tuesday.

Ding lost the first two frames but broke back to win the third. After the 18-year-old Yuan became more aggressive and won the fourth, Ding regained his form from the fifth and went on to take the match by winning four frames in a row.

Ding is expecting to have his first baby within the next few days and the world No. 6 said that he is waiting for the call “24 hours a day” in case his wife goes into labor while he is in Yushan.

The week-long competition offers a total prize of 735,000 pounds (US$951,943) with the champion pocketing 150,000 pounds.

Meanwhile, Mark Selby was made to battle hard before opening his season with a 5-3 win over fellow Englishman Elliot Slessor in the first round of the World Open.

The world number one and three-time world champion will face Jamie Jones in the last 32 after the Welsh world number 39 completed a 5-2 victory over Zhou Yuelong.

Former U.K. champion Judd Trump was more convincing in his first-round victory, emerging with a 5-1 win over world number 67 Martin O’Donnell courtesy of breaks of 54, 84, 54 and 73.

O’Donnell contributed 54 and 55, but was powerless to prevent world number five Trump from securing a meeting with Gary Wilson in the last 32.

Slessor, who reached the Northern Ireland Open semi-finals before losing to world champion Mark Williams last November, certainly proved a tough assignment for Selby, who saw the Gateshead player level at 3-3 from 3-1 behind.

Selby — who lost the final of this event to Shaun Murphy in Haikou four years ago — claimed two frames on the black for a 3-1 lead with Slessor winning the third frame courtesy of a break of 62 boosted by a late fluke on the blue. (SD-Agencies)