I’m still far from my best, says Ding Junhui as he targets World Championship title
Chinese star says he can improve even as defeated opponent John Higgins likens him to Steve Davis
China’s Ding Junhui insisted he’d yet to hit top form after moving into the quarter-finals of the World Championships for just the third time after battling back to defeat John Higgins 13-9 in Sheffield on Saturday.
World number three Ding, beaten six times in the opening two rounds of the tournament since his debut in 2007, trailed 5-1 and 7-5, but eventually saw off the four-time world champion to book a last eight clash against Judd Trump or Hong Kong’s Marco Fu Ka-chun who play on Sunday.
The 28-year-old has been based in Sheffield for the last decade but the Crucible Theatre has rarely seen his best performances, with Ding’s only semi-final appearance coming in 2011 when he lost to Trump.
“I’m playing well, and keep scoring heavily, and won frames after he made 50 breaks,” said Ding. “I hope I’m going to win the tournament. I believe I can ... I have the form to win any tournament.
“I think I can play better.”
Higgins was in no doubt about Ding’s world-title chances, saying of his opponent’s recovery from 5-1 down: “I missed a red, and from then on he was clinical.