Home favorite Ding Junhui reaches WST International Championship final

Ding Junhui of China came back from 5-3 down to defeat his compatriot Xu Si 9-6 in the World Snooker Tour (WST) International Championship semifinals in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on Saturday. He will compete with Chris Wakelin of England for the title on Sunday, who knocked out another home player - Xiao Guodong - 9-8 on Friday.

Xu extended his recent form by clinching the first three frames with breaks of 69, 137 and 113 against Ding. Though Ding took two rounds back with 119 and 77, he could not stop the opponent from leading 5-3 after the first session.

Ding's performance improved in the evening when he began by claiming three consecutive frames and gained the lead 6-5. Xu won the next to tie the match, but Ding exploited a missed tough long pot on the final green by Xu, regaining his advantage 7-6.

Xu continued to blow chances after leaving the red in the jaws of a top corner, allowing Ding to take the 14th frame with a break of 66. Then in the 15th, Xu missed target on a red to top corner on 29. In the end, Ding completed a run of 58 to secure the final victory.

"In the first session, Xu played really well," Ding said. "I didn't have many opportunities in the first half, and he managed century breaks with great sharpness, making the most of his chances. However, he wasn’t quite at the same level in the second session. He had many chances tonight but lost the first three frames, which impacted his mindset."

"Any player in good form over a week can achieve great results," Ding added. "If rankings alone determined outcomes, Judd Trump might as well just pick up the trophy and go. A higher ranking doesn't guarantee winning by a wide margin, it only means a slightly better chance of victory. Chris Wakelin recently has been consistent, performing well over several tournaments. I don't think much about my opponent, though, as many small details in a match can change the outcome."

Despite failing to reach his first ranking final, 26-year-old Xu had the best week of his career during which he made a 147 and knocked out Trump.

"I was feeling good in the first session, but my focus seemed to slip in the second, and I made more mistakes," Xu said. "I had plenty of opportunities but struggled throughout, unable to get the positioning I wanted, and my safety play was quite average. Overall, aside from the second session in this match, I'm pretty satisfied with my performance in the tournament. Now my goal is to qualify for the Players Championship."