Breaking news: Davis beaten by Ding

Mark Davis was narrowly beaten by Ding Junhui at the Betfred World Snooker Championship this lunchtime (Tuesday).
Mark Davis is out of the Betfred World Snooker Championship following a 10-7 defeat to Ding JunhuiMark Davis is out of the Betfred World Snooker Championship following a 10-7 defeat to Ding Junhui
Mark Davis is out of the Betfred World Snooker Championship following a 10-7 defeat to Ding Junhui

The St Leonards cueman lost 10-7 in a tough first round battle against Chinese world number three Ding at The Crucible in Sheffield.

Davis held a 4-3 overnight advantage having at one point led 4-0 in yesterday’s first session, and began the second session with an excellent break of 106 in frame eight.

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The world number 18 scored just two points in the next three frames, however, as Ding went ahead for the first time at 6-5 aided by a run of 97 in frame nine.

Davis squared the match again by winning frame 12 only for Ding to edge the next and then take frame 14 with the help of a 59 break to lead 8-6.

Former six-reds world champion Davis cut his deficit to one by clinching frame 15, but potted only one ball in the subsequent two frames as Ding sealed victory with runs of 73 and 85.

Davis, 42, had won three matches in the qualifiers just to get to The Crucible, beating Joe O’Connor 10-4, Oliver Lines 10-7 and Ken Doherty 10-3.

His defeat today, however, means that local interest in the sport’s blue riband event is over because Bexhill-based Jimmy Robertson was beaten 10-6 by Hong Kong star Marco Fu at the weekend.

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