Ryan shows he’s the boss
DING JUNHUI was dumped out of the Dafabet Masters by Ryan Day as his miserable run at Alexandra Palace continued.
Welshman Day, 37, was playing in the prestigious top- 16 event for the fi rst time in eight years – and roared back from 3- 0 down to win 6- 4 yesterday.
Day, who fi nally won a fi rst ranking title of his career this season in Riga, knocked in breaks of 79, 125, 105 and a closing 115 to reach the quarter- fi nals and equal his best run at the event.
World No 4 Ding, who won the Masters at former venue Wembley Arena in 2011, has won one match in seven years at its new home.
The turning point came in frame eight when Ding fouled the blue with the rest when on a break of 62 and saw Day steal it to go 5- 3 up. Ding said: “I didn’t do too much wrong. He just started going for everything and didn’t miss.”
Day, a huge fan of both Manchester United and Ryan Giggs – appointed Wales manager yesterday – said: “I’d settle for being the second biggest sporting story in Wales today. It was brilliant to be back playing on a big stage .” Marco Fu is desperate to avoid becoming more Masters cannon fodder for Ronnie O’Sullivan today. The Rocket, bidding for a hat- trick of titles and a record eighth crown, demolished Shaun Murphy in the UK fi nal to leave world No 9 Fu awestruck.
“What Ronnie did to Shaun at the UK – sometimes he just does that to an opponent, we all know the level he is capable of,” said Fu, who has not beaten O’Sullivan in nine years.