Ding seals world snooker quarters spot

LONDON: Chinese snooker superstar Ding Junhui cruised into the quarter-finals of the world championships on Monday securing the one frame he required to thrash Anthony McGill 13-4 in their second round clash.

The 31-year-old, the losing finalist in 2016, is the new favourite after five-time champion “Rocket” Ronnie O’Sullivan and defending champion Mark Selby went out. Ding showed little sign of the favourite’s tag handicapping him as he wasted little time in securing the one frame he needed in Monday’s third and final session against his 27-year-old Scottish opponent.

“I was focused and relaxed and took every chance to make breaks,” said Ding. “I feel good and I am playing well.” Ding — bidding to become the first Asian to be crowned champion — will play Englishman Barry Hawkins in the last eight. Hawkins beat Ding on his way to a surprise appearance in the 2013 world final where he lost to O’Sullivan. The 39-year-old has since shown that was no fluke by reaching the last four on three occasions. “Barry is a great player. It will be a tough game. He plays well at the Crucible every year,” Ding added. Ding lost to Selby both in the 2016 final and last year’s semi-finals, and he could face serious competition for the title from another Scot, John Higgins, who looks in sparkling form. The 42-year-old quadruple world champion, who lost in last year’s final, demolished Englishman Jack Lisowski 13-1.

That was no mean feat given Lisowski — who only just avoided becoming the second player in the tournament’s history to fail to win a frame — had ousted 2015 world champion Stuart Bingham in the first round.