Ding Junhui ends first round of WPBSA Masters with 3-0

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China's Ding Junhui flew out of the blocks against Ryan Day with breaks of 111 and 58 opening up a 3-0 advantage in his WPBSA Masters first round match at the Alexandra Palace in London.

30-year-old Ding won the World Open in south China's Hainan Province last September, the only trophy of his 2017/2018 campaign, and was aiming to clinch a second title at the Alexandra Palace after lifting the trophy in 2011. Ding has failed to make it past the third round in the six consecutive competitions since the Word Open.

The most recent matches between the two players have been close, including a 6-5 win for Day in the International Championship in China in October 2015, after a 5-4 victory for Ding in the Shanghai Masters a month earlier.

Ding Junhui inspecting the tip of his playing cue. /VCG Photo

The Chinese star surged into an early lead, taking the opening three frames in quick succession. However he missed the red in the seventh frame and that gave his opponent the opportunity to take over the lead.

Ding tried to hit back, breaking with 62 before accidentally touching the blue when he was using the rest. The replay shows the blue was moved when Ding was ready to hit, and that gave the Welsh potter an incredible comeback to take five frames on the bounce.

Ryan Day in action. /VCG Photo

Ding pulled one back but it only temporarily halted Day's progression into the last eight with 6-4. It was the Welshman's first ever match at Alexandra Palace, and he has not competed at the Masters since 2010. Day now faces either John Higgins or Anthony McGill in the quarter-finals on Friday evening.

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