On the pioneering work of Ding Junhui and how one gamble transformed a sport and inspired a generation

Of the 32 qualifiers for this week’s German Masters, a quarter are from China. This perfectly illustrates the growing influence of the Chinese contingent on the professional tour, but the man who made it all possible will not be there. Ding Junhui did not qualify for Berlin.

He is languishing in 30th place in the world rankings and is now China’s fourth highest ranked player behind Zhao Xintong, Yan Bingtao and Zhou Yuelong. Three more Chinese players – Xiao Guodong, Liang Wenbo and Lu Ning – are stationed just behind him on the ranking list. Ad/> Since Ding’s capture of the 2019 UK Championship, he has barely registered on the radar, failing to reach a ranking event semi-final in two years.

On the one-year ranking list which measures this season’s performances he is 68th. German MastersSelby in danger of missing Players Championship as Vafaei secures spot in top-16 eventAN HOUR AGO Snooker is constantly reaching out to new markets. At the weekend, Hossein Vafaei became the first Iranian to win a professional title following his dramatic capture of the Shootout.

He could become an important figure in driving interest in the middle east, but there has never been a player from outside the traditional British base as influential as Ding. He discovered cue sports during a trip to a pool hall with his father. Legend has it that when his dad visited the toilet mid-game, young Ding picked up his cue and cleared the table.

He seemed to have a natural aptitude and his father took him out of school to get the best coaching available in China. The family sold their house to fund young Ding’s blossoming career. The gamble paid off.