China’s Ding Junhui in a struggle for survival against Judd Trump in snooker world championship

Ding Junhui’s hopes of becoming the first snooker player from China to be crowned world champion hung by a thread on Tuesday as he ended the day trailing Judd Trump 12-4 in their best-of-25-frame quarter-final.

Five-time champion Ronnie O’Sullivan also had ground to make up, but the unpredictable Englishman was only 5-3 behind compatriot Stuart Bingham after their one session – with their game due to resume on Wednesday.

Ding will also play on Wednesday but the manner in which Trump, who beat Hong Kong’s Marco Fu Ka-chun in the previous round, outclassed him in the first two sessions of play suggest the chances of a remarkable comeback are a longshot.

Trump, who beat Ding in the 2011 semi-finals but lost in the final to John Higgins, rattled in three century breaks in the second session to stamp his authority on the clash.

O’Sullivan, whose eccentric behaviour has been in evidence during the championships, playing for a while without his shoes on in his first round game, has other problems aside from being behind in his match.

The sport’s governing body World Snooker are investigating after he broke the rules by placing the chalk on the table during the fifth frame – it should have incurred a seven-point penalty but the referee Terry Camilleri didn’t call the foul.