UK Snooker Championship 2023: Ding Junhui beats Mark Allen 6-5

10 months ago 7

Venue: Barbican Centre, York Dates: Saturday, 25 November - Sunday, 3 December
BBC coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Red Button and BBC iPlayer, as well as the BBC Sport website and mobile app

Ding Junhui considered giving Mark Allen "a walkover" because he was feeling ill before fighting back to beat the defending champion 6-5 in the first round of the UK Championship.

The result sees Ding exact a measure of revenge for last year's final when the Northern Irishman overturned a 6-1 deficit to triumph 10-7 in York.

Breaks of 67, 106 and 60 had helped Allen establish a commanding 4-2 lead.

However, China's Ding took four of the last five frames to seal his victory.

"I didn't put any pressure on myself because I wasn't feeling so good," three-time UK champion Ding told BBC Sport.

"I've seen the doctor and taken some tablets. This morning I felt like I couldn't stand and maybe wouldn't be able to play. I felt a bit better before the match. I was thinking I might have to give him a walkover."

Ding will play either England's Tom Ford or Thailand's Noppon Saengkham in round two.

Mark Williams also advanced with a 6-4 victory over Fan Zhengyi and will now meet England's Kyren Wilson or his Welsh compatriot Jamie Clarke in the last 16.