Ding victory ensures historic all-Asian final

China's Ding Junhui and Marco Fu of Hong Kong made history at Wembley today as they set up the first all-Asian final in the history of snooker's marquee tournaments.

China's Ding Junhui and Marco Fu of Hong Kong made history at Wembley last night as they set up the first all-Asian final in the history of snooker's marquee tournaments.

When they meet in today's Ladbrokes Mobile Masters title match, a television audience likely to exceed 100 million will be watching in the Far East, celebrating a landmark moment in the evolution of snooker as a world game.

Ding tonight beat Stoke's Jamie Cope 6-3 to secure the clash with Fu, who earlier produced a sparkling mid-match surge as he came from 4-1 behind to conquer Ireland's Mark Allen 6-4.

Ding has won four major ranking tournaments and played in a Masters final before, but he had an unhappy experience against Ronnie O'Sullivan four years ago when the crowd's raucous support for the home favourite verged on hostility towards the then 19-year-old Chinese player.

With no such worries this time, the 23-year-old will start the best-of-19-frames final as favourite, however Fu, almost a full 10 years his senior, has knocked out Stephen Maguire, Peter Ebdon and now Allen in a surprising run this week.

Fu will be seeking his second major title, having triumphed at the Grand Prix in 2007.

Last night saw Ding fire breaks of 68, 54 and 102 to seize a 3-1 lead by the mid-session interval.

Cope took frame two thanks to a run of 101 but it was not to be his night.

Ding came from 59-0 behind to extend his lead to 4-1, and they split the next two, before Cope replied to Ding's 53 with a 73 to take frame eight.

The Chinese number one quickly built a 69-0 lead in the next frame though, and while that was not quite enough to finish off Cope, Ding was soon back at the table putting the finishing touches to his success.

Ding is keenly looking forward to his clash with Fu, who beat him in the final of the Asian Games last November.

Asked about the prospect of an all-Asian final, Ding told BBC2: "I think it's lucky. I'm very proud.

"I'm going to try very hard because I saw Marco play very well today."

Looking at the progress he has made since losing to O'Sullivan in the 2007 final, Ding said: "I think I'm a better player and think differently and I enjoy the games."

Fu snatched victory against Allen almost from the jaws of defeat in the afternoon action.

From 4-1 down, Fu had breaks of 130, 97 and 136 in successive frames before holding his nerve in tight ninth and 10th frames to knock out the Irishman.

Fu has struggled to find consistency during his career and is down to 18th in the world rankings, but he stands one win away from lifting one of the sport's most coveted trophies.

"To me it's one of the biggest achievements I've ever had," Fu said after his win.

"Great champions struggle here coming to the Masters for some reason but everyone really wants to do well here.

"I rate this win as one of the best for me."

He hoped for Ding to come through the clash with Cope, and predicted: "It's going to be great.

"I'm not sure whether that's been done before - two Asians - but it would be great.

"I played Ding in the first round at the World Championship one year (in 2008) and we had 100 million people watching back home, so this one is going to be a lot more."

Allen felt he was heading for the final when he built up his three-frame cushion.

But he complimented Fu, saying: "Marco played very, very well and he thoroughly deserved his win.

"If he plays like that he's got a great chance of winning it."