Ding Junhui ‘excited’ to end his Hong Kong exile at snooker’s World Grand Prix
Chinese player, among an elite 32-man field for Kai Tak Arena event, reveals disappointment over Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrawal
Ding Junhui said he was excited about the prospect of playing world-class snooker in Hong Kong this week, nearly 22 years after the mainland Chinese superstar last competed in the city.
Three-time UK Championship winner Ding is among an elite 32-man field poised for the World Grand Prix, which begins at the new Kai Tak Arena on Tuesday.
The tournament lost some of its sparkle when seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan withdrew for health reasons over the weekend, and Ding said he was disappointed the Englishman would not feature, because “he is the best player in the world and I love watching him when he is doing well”.
Nonetheless, the 37-year-old, who meets compatriot Xu Si in the first round on Wednesday evening, is anticipating a “high-class” tournament as Hong Kong gets ready to stage its first ranking event since 1989.
“There is a long history of snooker in Hong Kong – when I was young, I played a lot of Hong Kong players and the level here was higher [than in mainland China],” Ding told the Post. “I was disappointed I missed [the Hong Kong All-Star Challenge exhibition event] last year, and I’m looking forward to seeing the fans.
“It feels great to be here and I’m excited about playing high-quality snooker in a high-quality tournament in Hong Kong.”