Ding Junhui put a harrowing start behind him to force his way back into the Betfred World Championship final and revive the prospect of glory for China at the Crucible.
He trailed 6-0 at one stage against Mark Selby but hit the comeback trail on Sunday evening, recovering to close to within a single frame at one stage.
But Ding’s hopes were jolted as midnight passed, and Selby took the final two frames of the session to lead 10-7 heading into the second day.
A 66-minute 15th frame went Ding’s way, but Selby made him almost kneel down and beg for it, playing on for snookers for an age. It completely sapped the momentum that Ding was building, and meant that a frame Selby lost could ultimately prove one of his most important in the match.
The roar as Ding dropped in the pink came at 11.09pm. Selby looked as though he could play all night though as he established his three-frame cushion by sinking the green in frame 17 at 12.23am.
In the best-of-35 contest, there is leeway for a slow start. Dennis Taylor famously won the world title in 1985 from 8-0 adrift of Steve Davis, and Ronnie O’Sullivan trailed Graeme Dott 5-0 in 2004 before hot-footing to an 18-8 victory.
The manner of Ding’s early showing had been concerning on many counts. For those hoping the clash of two snooker titans would produce a thrilling match, there was the sense of anti-climax. For Ding’s many millions of supporters watching at home in China, late at night, there was utter despondency.
And for those with tickets for the evening session on Monday, there must have been the suspicion the match would be already over before then.
Selby certainly did not welcome the Ding resurgence, which featured a crowd-pleasing 103 break, but it saved the final from becoming a procession.
The last triumph with a session to spare came in 1993, when Stephen Hendry drubbed Jimmy White 18-5. The heaviest defeat in a Crucible final came in 1989, when John Parrott took an 18-3 pounding at the hands of Steve Davis.
Monday could bring twin sporting celebrations for Selby’s home city of Leicester, as he bids to win a second world title and Claudio Ranieri’s Premier League leaders hope a favour from Chelsea against Tottenham brings them trophy glory.
For China, a Ding win would mean a breakthrough moment for the country that has taken snooker to its heart.
Ireland’s Ken Doherty, Australia’s Neil Robertson and Canada’s Cliff Thorburn are the only players from outside Britain to have scooped snooker’s premier prize in Sheffield.
Ding is coached by Terry Griffiths, the 1979 world champion and a man labelled “Obi-Wan Griffiths” by Robertson. Griffiths has worked on fortifying the 29-year-old’s mental approach and it showed.
In the 2007 Masters final, Ding lost his focus and was picked apart 10-3 by Ronnie O’Sullivan, but his recovery here suggested his mind was on the task.
Should Ding stage another fightback and lift the trophy on Monday evening, it would be a triumph that has been long in coming. He clinched three ranking titles as a teenager, including the UK Championship, but has struggled in Sheffield. Despite living in the Steel City for the last 10 years, the Crucible is a venue for which he has shown little love.
Doherty, world champion in 1997, was glad to see Ding in the final.
“I’m delighted for Ding, because it’s a fantastic story. He’s on the cusp of greatness now if he can achieve his ultimate goal and win it.
“It’s probably a little bit of a surprise that it’s taken so long for him to get to a world final.
“He’s had his struggles with playing here and not liking the venue so much, but now he’s got used to it and gained the confidence and momentum, he believes now that he can win this championship.”
