Ding Junhui of China showcased his snooker prowess by defeating England’s Joe Perry 5-2 in the second round of the World Snooker Tour (WST) World Open in Shangrao, east China’s Jiangxi Province, on Monday.
The match marked the 25th meeting between the two seasoned players. Perry capitalized on early mistakes by Ding to seize a 1-0 lead. However, Ding quickly found his rhythm, leveling the score with an impressive century break of 123 in the second frame. He then clinched the third frame to move ahead 2-1.
Perry responded with a solid break of 87 in the fourth frame, tying the match once more. Unfazed, Ding delivered another stunning century break of 138 to regain the lead. The World No. 9 maintained his momentum, playing airtight defense in the following frames and sealing the victory with a break of 68 in the seventh frame.
Reflecting on the match, Ding said, “I think the third frame was crucial because I made a few mistakes, which gave Perry several opportunities. It was tough to overcome those difficulties and take a 2-1 lead. I don’t have any expectations for the upcoming matches. I will just try my best to play. Every player has a different style and characteristics, which presents different challenges for me, so I can only deal with various issues during the match.”
In other highlights of the day, English world champion Shaun Murphy dominated China’s Zhou Jinhao with a 5-0 victory, firing in three century breaks. Murphy’s performance featured his 10th official 147 maximum break and his second of the season, propelling him to fourth place on the all-time list behind snooker legends Ronnie O’Sullivan (15), John Higgins (13), and Stephen Hendry (11).
“I’m absolutely delighted,” Murphy shared. “I must say it was an early session, an early start. There weren’t many fans in this morning, so it was probably the most underwhelming 147 of all time, but they’re all special. I can’t believe it—I’m blown away.”
