Ding Junhui Claims First Ranking Title in Five Years

Chinese snooker player Ding Junhui, who possesses 15 ranking titles including the 2013 International Championship, defeated England’s Chris Wakelin in the final of the International Championship to secure his first ranking title in half a decade. A supportive home crowd cheered Ding on as he rallied from behind to achieve a 10-7 victory in Nanjing, China. This marks his first championship win since his third UK Championship crown in 2019 and follows losses in his three most recent final appearances. “I didn’t know my family were going to be at the trophy presentation, it was great to see them,” Ding told World Snooker. “My kids hadn’t seen me win anything live before.” Wakelin established a 4-1 advantage, achieving breaks of 63, 92, 85, and 64. However, Ding then secured the subsequent six frames, with the final frame of that sequence occurring after Wakelin failed to pot a red along the cushion when an opportunity to clear the table was present. Wakelin, whose sole prior ranking title was earned at the Shoot Out in 2023, executed breaks of 85 and 82, narrowing the score to 7-6, prior to Ding’s reply with a break of 98. Wakelin claimed a hard-fought 15th frame, but Ding then won the subsequent three frames to finalize his victory.