International Championship: Ding Junhui completes comeback against Chris Wakelin to end five-year title drought

Ding Junhui went 4-1 down to Chris Wakelin during the morning session of the International Championship final in Nanjing, but staged a remarkable comeback to go into the break 5-4 up, and went on to complete an impressive display to claim his first ranking title since 2019. Ding had won just three ranking tour matches this season before his run to the title in China's Jiangsu Province.

Home hero Ding beats Wakelin to end five-year wait for ranking title

Video credit: TNT Sports

Ding Junhui completed his remarkable week at the International Championship with a 10-7 comeback victory over Chris Wakelin, claiming his first ranking title since 2019.

Ding, who had won just three ranking tour matches this season ahead of the International Championship, enjoyed a remarkable week as the home favourite in front of buoyant crowds, knocking out world champion Kyren Wilson en-route to the final.

He looked to be on the back-foot against Wakelin, who quickly established a 4-1 lead in the morning session. The Englishman rattled off a break of 92 with the scores level at 1-1, before firing home runs of 85 and 64 in the subsequent frames.

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As it happened: Ding beats Wakelin to win International Championship final

10/11/2024 at 15:52

But Ding rallied to stage an impressive comeback before the interval, forcing Wakelin into his seat as the home favourite knocked home 76 and 80 without reply to cut the deficit to one frame.

The world No. 9 levelled the tie in stunning style, fighting back from 53-20 down to clear the colours and snatch the frame from Wakelin's grasp.

Ding, galvanised and serenaded into the break by the rejuvenated home crowd, took the lead for the first time in the match in the final frame of the morning session, cancelling out Wakelin's effort of 42 with a 57 break.

‘What a tremendous break’ – Ding misses out on magical century to edge closer to title

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And the 2019 UK Championship winner continued in similarly dominant style, running home a further two frames to claim his sixth in succession.

Wakelin seemingly had no reply for Ding's dominance and failed to put his chances to bed when presented with them. The Englishman spurned a red to the right corner which ultimately ended his chance to make it 6-5, Ding instead capitalising for a 7-4 lead.

But Wakelin - who had defeated Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams and John Higgins on his way to the final - surged towards a comeback of his own, cutting into Ding's lead with an accomplished run of 84.

The 32-year-old continued to slice away at his deficit, and made it 7-6 after emerging advantageously from the early safety battle and running home a break of 89, expertly splitting the pack off a pink to open up the table as he settled back into the final.

The closely fought affair soon saw the pair trade frame-for-frame, Ding re-establishing a cushion of two but falling just shy of a century break, coming unstuck on a brown to bottom left with a run of 98 - the highest of the match - enough to take an 8-6 lead.

'It's a gigantic one!' - Massive fluke by Ding in semi-final

Video credit: TNT Sports

Wakelin continued to make a game of it and quickly built a 54-point lead in the next frame, with 59 left on the table and the black safely out of play on the left cushion.

Ding tried to work around the table, but could not find position after potting the yellow, and the Englishman kept himself in touching distance of a title shot by wrapping up the points needed for 8-7.

The home favourite made an instant response, leaving Wakelin needing two snookers after a 72 break, propelling himself to within one frame of his first title victory in half a decade.

And he made no mistake in wrapping up proceedings with a thrilling final frame. He spurned his chance to win it in a single visit after his attempted black ended up hanging over the bottom left, but planted a peach from a pack of reds to get another chance at a long stint among the balls.

Ding sunk the decisive black, and with Wakelin needing four snookers for any type of chance in the match, he conceded, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Ding with huge Miscue in Frame 8 of semi against Xu

Video credit: TNT Sports

The historic victory is Ding's 15th career ranking title, extending an impressive record in his home country, with eight of his nine wins this season coming in China.

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