Ding Junhui wins Indian Open

Ding Junhui poses with the Indian open trophy after beating
Aditya Mehta 5-0. Image: World Snooker

Ding Junhui became the first player since 2003 to complete back-to-back ranking event victories as he whitewashed Aditya Mehta in the final of the inaugural Indian Open. The victory succeeds his Shanghai Masters triumph in September and provisionally up to fourth in the World Rankings.

Although he was well beaten in the final, Mehta will look back on the week with pride, becoming the first Indian player to reach the final of a ranking event. Added to that, the calibre of players he had beaten, including World Champions Peter Ebdon and Mark Williams, as well as Stephen Maguire in the semi-finals. And his run to the final may well have done wonders for the game’s potential in India, with fans looking up at the triumphs of the 27 year-old.

Ding took an early grip on the match and was 4-0 up in the best of nine final, making breaks of 52, 81, 107 and 93. Mehta had an early chance in the fifth but over-cut a tricky black and was duly punished as a ruthless Ding went onto make exactly 100 to wrap up the match and claim the £50,000 winner’s prize.


Semi-Finals
Earlier on in the day, Mehta came through an exciting match against world number five Steven Maguire. Mehta was dominant early on and raced into a 3-0 lead, with top breaks of 81 and 132. Maguire eked his way back into the match though and won the next three to force a decider. Mehta controlled the final frame but Maguire battled on for snookers on the blue and pink but eventually left the latter on which Mehta potted to secure his final spot.

The other semi saw Ding defeat Robbie Williams 4-1 in a high scoring affair. Ding was also quick out of the blocks and was 3-0 up thanks to runs of 68, 59 and then the tournament high break of 142. Williams kept the game alive with a 67 in the next but the match was wrapped up by Ding with a 64 break on the fifth.


Quarter Final Results:
Aditya Mehta 4-3 Pankaj Advani
Stephen Maguire 4-3 Michael White
Ding Junhui 4-2 Neil Robertson
Robbie Williams 4-0 Anthony McGill


Last 16
Aditya Mehta 4-2 Mark Williams
Neil Robertson 4-2 Liang Wenbo
Stephen Maguire 4-2 Mark Davis
Michael White 4-3 Gary Wilson
Pankaj Advani 4-3 Stuart Bingham
Anthony McGill 4-2 Joe Perry
Ding Junhui 4-2 John Higgins
Robbie Williams 4-0 Mike Dunn