A teenage snooker prodigy is putting China on the map of what has been an overwhelmingly British sport.
The teapots of Yixing have put this small Jiangsu Province town on the world map. For more than 100 years, exquisite teapots made of Yixing's signature zisha clay have drawn tea lovers from around globe.
But now it seems that this peaceful community, 180 kilometers away from Shanghai, has come to the world's attention for an entirely different reason: A 16-year-old snooker prodigy, whose talent threatens to outshine even the internationally renowned tea ware of his hometown. Unfortunately, for journalists hunting for an interesting angle, Ding Junhui, the teenage snooker sensation in question, doesn't show any interest in teapot ceramics -- truth be told, he actually has no interest in anything other than his pursuit for the top honors in cue sports.
"No, I don't know much about zisha clay," says Ding, in his characteristic mumble. Although he has headlined the World Snooker League, edging out several high-profile players, he remains a low-key teenager whose response to every question is always succinct, yet vague. So it comes as a surprise when Ding reveals that his favorite player is the flamboyant Ronnie O'Sullivan -- the ill-tempered world's No. 2 snooker, a former alcoholic and drug addict. Ding is quick to point out, however, that while "I appreciate his game, I'm not thinking of becoming another O'Sullivan." There's certainly nothing wrong with emulating the professional O'Sullivan, who is famous for his strong and quick shots -- and Ding, who is in town for the Amway Santinique National Snooker Championship in Shanghai last week, appears to be well on the way to achieving that goal.
The teenage star made history early last month in London by getting through to the
second round of the 2004 Wembley Masters, the most prestigious invitational event in the sport. The defeat of world's No. 16 Joe Perry of Britain in the opening game saw Ding become the first Chinese, and the youngest player ever, to compete in the 29-year-old tournament. Ding's attempt to go further was foiled by world's No. 8 Stephen Lee, also from Britain, but his talent is unquestionable.
Ding was selected for Wembley and other major international tournaments because of his impressive amateur record. His trophy collection includes the Asian games title, as well as World and Asian under-21 championships. But the real shocker came as Ding throttled current World No. 1 Mark J. Williams in a Hong Kong invitational event last summer. It wasn't long before the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) awarded Ding a wildcard to play as a professional in the UK-based 2003-04 World Snooker Main Tour, which began last September.
Ding is not alone. Countryman Liu Song, the 2003 World Under-21 Championship runner-up, joined him. The duo, wearing Chinese flags on their cufflinks, have injected fresh blood into what has heretofore been a mainly British sport.
"Ding has the natural ability. I would say he's of world top eight material," says Pang Weiguo, a veteran Chinese snooker player who has also had professional outings in Britain. "The pro tour will give him the experience to turn that potential into reality. "The domestic scene is totally amateur. The superstars only appear in pro tours," Pang adds. Pang, a 32-year-old Beijing native, joined the pro circuit in 2001 after dominating the Asian Championships. Pang was sponsored for two years by the WPBSA, which was then eying the enormous market potential of the Chinese mainland. Although Chinese mainland players have been a rarity in this sport, players like Hong Kong native Marco Fu, whose world ranking reached No. 13 at one point, have added a dash of Chinese flavor over the years. Fu still remains in the world's top 32 currently. But neither Pang nor Fu can approach the accomplishments, and potential, of China's current snooker star.
Ding began playing at the age of eight, initiated into the sport by his father, a former vender who moved into the snooker club business after his son's early successes. Ding began participating in senior events even before his height equaled that of a cue. But it was not long before his adult opponents found themselves incapable of containing the reticent boy. Now, after barely six months in the pros, Ding has scored the second most century breaks in a debut pro season, behind O'Sullivan. Meanwhile, Liu advanced to the final stage of Welsh Open last December, becoming the first Chinese mainland player to go that far in the World Snooker Main Tour. The pair's solid performance so far has attracted a great deal of business interest as well. First Advice, a British sports agency, has come to an informal agreement with Ding, footing the bill for his expenses in Britain this season. The agency accommodates Ding in a snooker academy in the Northampton area, where his daily practice partners include big names on the tour, like James Wattna and Peter Ebdon. If he ends the season in May in the first half of the 128 pro field, a formal contract will be waiting.
Back home in China, the up-and-coming Chinese players now also seem to be a key factor in the resuscitation of the hope to professionalize the country's billiards sport. "We believe that the success of Chinese players overseas will arouse great interest in competitive cue sports in China," says Colin Clenso of Human Action Media, a co-organizer of the local Amway Santinique National Snooker Championship. "We're thinking of bringing back a world ranking tournament in the near future." Back in 1990, a WPBSA event was staged in Guangzhou, but the Chinese market remained largely untapped with few players good enough to qualify for the professional circuit. The world's sports governing body installed a high-profile US$75,000 China Open in 1999, bringing most of the world's billiard elite to Chinese fans. But it was short-lived, as the event was terminated for lack of sponsorship in 2002.
"If they turn this vision into reality, that will do untold good for Chinese snookers," says Pang. "The future of cue sports in China, to some extent, depends on Ding's generation ... I still remember when he was brought to me by his father at the age of 11. I could tell that he was a boy of extraordinary caliber."
(eastday.com March 2, 2004)
