Ding eyes world title as O'Sullivan advances

China's Ding Junhui said he felt ready to win
the snooker World Championship after booking
a quarterfinal place with a 13-9 win over Mark
King at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre on Monday.
No Chinese player has yet won the World
Championship, but former Masters and UK
champion Ding has long been tipped as the
man most likely to make that breakthrough and
take snooker's top title to a country where the
sport has been enjoying a boom for several
years.
Ding was 6-2 behind at one stage, only to stun
King in a match where the Chinese master
cueman reeled off four centuries and a further
seven breaks over 50.
For Sheffield-based Ding, who will face another
Englishman in Barry Hawkins in a last-eight
clash starting Tuesday, the pressure of playing
at the Crucible, in northern England, is nothing
like as much of a strain as performing in front
of an adoring home crowd.
Yet his record at the Crucible is poor, as in six
previous visits he has only gone beyond the
second round once, in 2011 when he lost to
Judd Trump in the semifinals.
However, he said he is now coming to terms
with the Crucible.
"I find it easier to play here in Sheffield than
to play in China," Ding said.
"There are so many things that happen around
me in tournaments in China, but you need to
be able to relax, concentrate, practice and get
ready for your matches. Then you can win. But
if you can't relax, then you have no chance."
An admiring King said that on this form, not
even Ronnie O'Sullivan, the reigning world
champion, could cope with Ding, who won
seven out of eight frames in the middle
session.
"He was on a different planet and when he's
hitting the ball like that I don't think anyone
can get near him, even Ronnie O'Sullivan,"
King said.
O'Sullivan, who had been in self-imposed exile
since claiming his fourth world crown,
maintained his title defence with a 13-8 win
over Ali Carter in a repeat of last year's final.
It was the 13th win for the "Rocket" in as
many matches against Carter, and saw him go
through to another all-English tie, with Stuart
Bingham.
O'Sullivan, who led 9-7 overnight, said he felt
jaded in comparison to 12 months ago.
"I'm pleased I came through it, but it's not
going to get any easier now," said O'Sullivan,
bidding to become the first player since
Stephen Hendry in 1996 to retain the title.
"I feel a lot more tired and jaded than I did
coming into this tournament last year.
"Mentally it wasn't taxing, but whatever I do
people think I've got an advantage. Whatever I
say, everyone thinks it's all about me, all about
Ronnie.
"Last year I felt unplayable. Last year I was
playing some shots and thinking 'Wow, I've got
them here'. I knew when I got in I was going to
clear the table. And I knew I was just too
strong physically, mentally, I just felt
invincible."
Carter said whether O'Sullivan won back-to-
back world titles would depend on the brilliant
potter's often wayward temperament.
"If his head doesn't fall off, yes he will,"
Carter said. "But we all know if his head falls
off anyone can beat him.
"If he plays like he did today, nobody can beat
him.
"I think he's done the right thing having a year
off; in fact I might do that next year. Why
not?"
Bingham beat Mark Davis 13-10, while Ricky
Walden defeated Robert Milkins, who knocked
out Australian former champion Neil
Robertson 13-11 to seal a last-eight tie with
Welsh qualifier Michael White.