All last night on social media the debate about who would win this match centred on the key question of how ding would handle his first world final playing someone with the game & experience of. Selby.From this the overriding opinion was the for him to have a chance Ding needed a good start to settle down.Unfortunately for him the complete opposite happened.
It was indeed Selby who took the opener,but Ding looked set to level at 1-1 when potting the black off the last red to leave Selby needing a snooker,It was just one snooker though and Selby got it before clearing the colours to lead 2-0. That soon became 4-0 as Selby started to boss things and Ding's looked increasingly desperate.
Things didn't improve much for the Chinese when Selby won the next two as well to go 6-0.That really should have become 7-0,but with the help of a missed blue from Selby, Ding took it to get off the mark and also the next to finish the session 6-2 behind,a result,which all things considered, wasn't the worst in the world for him.
Into the night session and a complete sea change..Selby,having looked every inch the world number one in the afternoon now started to look a little edgy,despite taking the opening frame of the night to go 7-2 & in contrast Ding started to find the break building prowess that had got him here in such style as he took the next three to close within two at the interval,the score now 7-5.
Selby again stretched his lead to three going 8-5,Ding now had a bit of momentum and won the next to close to 8-6. He looked as though he was comfortably on his way to winning the next,but having potted frame ball red he missed an insurance red down the cushion leaving Selby needing two snookers,As we know thats a dangerous thing to do against Selby and 45 minutes of safety play ensued before Ding eventually potted the pink to close within one at 8-7.
It served to knock him out of his rhythm though and Selby took full advantage to grab the last two of the night to hold that 10-7 overnight lead.
So Selby will start tomorrow needing eight more for his second title.For Ding it will be a case of trying to win the afternoon session and going from there.A fascinating day lies ahead.
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