England’s Alfie Burden delivered a stunning performance to defeat China’s Ding Junhui 5-4 in a thrilling first-round match at the World Snooker Xi’an Grand Prix in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province on Monday.
The match was intense from the outset, with Burden and Ding tied at 2-2 before the first intermission. Burden seized the lead in the fifth frame with an impressive 81-point break. Ding responded with an 88-0 whitewash in the sixth frame to level the score once again. The players traded frames, pushing the match to a decisive ninth frame.
In the final frame, Burden took control early. Despite Ding’s efforts to close the gap, a critical error cost him the match, allowing Burden to secure his place in the next round.
Meanwhile, Ding’s long-time rival Ronnie O’Sullivan advanced to the second round with a commanding 5-0 victory over Wang Yuchen of Hong Kong, China. Known as “The Rocket,” the 48-year-old veteran dominated the table, facing minimal resistance except for a brief setback in the third frame.
“I’ve played pretty terrible for two years, so every match has felt rubbish,” O’Sullivan remarked after the match. “I’ve just got to try and look at the longer term to try and play my way out of it. But you just have to keep showing up and try doing your best. I’m looking forward to it; the longer I can stand. All the more dinners I can have here in China should be good. I just come for dinner, the people, and the culture; snooker is a bonus.”
In other matches, Mark Selby and Zhang Anda secured victories in the first round. Mark Williams, Judd Trump, and Chinese players Si Jiahui, Gong Chenzhi, and Lyu Haotian advanced to the third round, joining the last 32 of the tournament.
Reference(s):
Alfie Burden defeats Ding Junhui at World Snooker Xi'an Grand Prix
cgtn.com
