UK Championship snooker: Three-time winner Ding Junhui books spot in final stages with two centuries – ‘I love York’

Former champion Ding Junhui became the first man to reach the last 32 of the UK Championship on Wednesday afternoon with an impressive 6-3 win against Robbie Williams.

World No. 17 Ding has carried off the UK trophy three times in 2005, 2009 and 2019 – and illustrated why he has the scoring ability to challenge for a fourth title this year.

After watching Williams open with a knock of 52, Ding produced breaks of 122 and 67 to lead 3-1 at the mid-session interval at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.

He moved further clear in the final qualifying round boosted by 54 in the sixth frame to lead 5-1 in the race to six.

Former British Open semi-finalist Williams managed to win successive frames to remain alive at 5-3 before Ding finalised his trip to the finals venue at the York Barbican with a classy closing knock of 113.

“I love playing York, and I always do good in UK Championship,” said Ding. “I don’t want to miss it, and I did my best to get to the final stages.”

The 14-time ranking event winner could be paired with any of the world’s top 16 from Thursday’s draw for the last 32 as he bids to go one better than last year when he lost to 10-7 to Mark Allen having led 6-1.

Ding first claimed the UK title 18 years ago when he defeated six-time winner Steve Davis 10-6 at the age of 18 in York with his second title coming four years later in Telford against John Higgins (10-8) and a third four years ago in a 10-6 win over 2004 UK champion Stephen Maguire.

He was joined in the last 32 by Thai speed merchant Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, who completed a 6-3 win over Ricky Walden.

Breaks of 66 and 71 helped Un-Nooh lead 3-1 before Walden responded with 108 to close to 3-2 behind.

Another superb century of 130 from Walden kept the match alive at 5-3 after his opponent rolled in 86 in the seventh frame, but the world No. 40 closed out the match with a 102 of his own in the ninth frame.

• Ding Junhui 6-3 Robbie Williams (live on Eurosport and discovery+)
• Michael White 5-6 Fan Zhengyi (live on Eurosport and discovery+)
• Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 6-3 Ricky Walden (live on Eurosport and discovery+)
• Wu Yize 4-6 Noppon Saengkham (live on Eurosport and discovery+)

• Anthony McGill 6-2 Anthony Hamilton (live on Eurosport and discovery+)
• David Gilbert 5-6 Jamie Clarke (live on Eurosport and discovery+)
• Lyu Haotian 3-6 Matthew Selt (live on Eurosport and discovery+)
• Jamie Jones 6-4 Zak Surety (live on Eurosport and discovery+)