Ding meets practice partner Ebdon

Ding Jun Hui will tackle a familiar opponent for a place in the last 16 of the China Open after completing a 5-2 victory over Mark Davis at Beijing’s Haidian Stadium.

Ding, who is 18 on Friday, meets Peter Ebdon, his regular practice partner and the man tipping him to become the first Asian winner of snooker’s world title.

Ebdon has described the Chinese protégé as the best 17-year-old he has ever seen after long practice sessions at the Snooker Academy in Rushden, which acts as the base for dozens of overseas hopefuls, as well as more established names.

“I beat Peter more often than he beats me in practice but this is the first time we’ve played in a match so I will just try my best,” Ding said.

He delighted a huge crowd by racing into a 3-0 lead with breaks of 66, 86 and 66 before giving his army of supporters cause for concern by losing the next two frames.

Davis, the world number 40 from St Leonards-on-Sea, sunk a re-spotted black to win the fourth and clinched the fifth as well as he threatened to spoil the party.

But Ding clicked back into gear with a magnificent 135 total clearance and easily won the seventh as well to secure victory.

He said: “I didn’t have any dinner before the match, just one banana at the interval because I was so nervous. Everyone was hoping I’d win so I was under a bit of pressure. I need to be stronger mentally.”

Ding had originally entered the event at the qualifying stage in Prestatyn two months ago but withdrew after being offered a place in the final stages as a wildcard, which means he is not eligible for any prize money, even if he wins the title.

His form has been mixed this season, his second as part of the game’s main tour. He reached the quarter-finals of the Wembley Masters but lost his first match in the Embassy World Championship qualifiers.

Ding added: “In England my form was not so good but now I’m back in China with my family and friends I feel much better and my practice is going really well.”

Ricky Walden, beaten 10-9 by Ian McCulloch in the final qualifying round of the World Championship last week, reached the second round with a 5-2 victory over Pang Wei Guo.

Basildon’s Stuart Bingham secured a second round meeting with last year’s Crucible runner-up Graeme Dott by beating local wildcard Cao Kai Sheng 5-1.