Gram is a wonderful and popular sport that attracts the attention of countless people across the globe. As one of the legends in the gram world, Ding Junhui has always been known for his outstanding skills and talents. However, on February 13, 2024, Ding Junhui ushered in an unexpected challenge at the Welsh Open, where he was defeated 4-2 by 51st-ranked Robbie Williams and exited early. The result of this game is shocking, and it also makes people realize the inability of this competitive sport. This article will focus on the fierce rivalry between Ding Junhui and Robbie Williams, as well as other highlights in the ring.
Ding Junhui, a representative of China's leading gram industry, is among the best in the world rankings. He has won 14 ranking tournaments, including three British Championships. Ding Junhui's performance has been stable this season, finishing runner-up in the British Championship and advancing to the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix, hoping to regain his touch before the Players Championship. However, Ding Junhui's form has been a little sluggish recently, such as losing to Yuan Sijun at the German Masters, and his performance on the spot was not good. Although he won the qualifying round against professional newcomer Jenson Kendrick, his victory was not easy. The opponent Robbie Williams, although ranked lower, should not be underestimated. Ding Junhui previously played Robbie Williams with 3 wins and 2 losses, which shows that the duel between them has always been suspenseful.
Expanded: As a leader in China's leading gram industry, Ding Junhui is not only loved by fans, but also won praise at home and abroad. His skill and talent have made him the highest-ranked Chinese gram player in the world. Although Ding Junhui is ranked 11th in the world, his strength should not be underestimated. He is precise in his shots, unique in his skills, and often excels in key moments. In his career, Ding Junhui has won a total of 14 ranking tournament titles, including the British Championships, China Open and other major tournaments. He has a steady and consistent style of play, often using his skills and experience to his advantage against a wide range of players. In this season's British Championships, Ding Junhui finally reached the final and won the runner-up after many rounds of competition. This match showed his fighting spirit and excellent skill level in difficult moments. For him, the Welsh Open is an opportunity to prove to the world what he is capable of.
After the start of the game, Ding Junhui was obviously not in the best condition. In the first game, he chose to take a halftime break after scoring 21 points, while Robbie Williams hit a 54-point one-shot attack to take the lead 62-21. Heading into the second game, Robbie Williams led 48-0, but due to poor position selection, he had to change his offensive strategy and turn the game into defense. Ding Junhui seized the opportunity and won the game 78-0. In the third game, Ding Junhui played a single-shot attack with 38 points, but the opponent suddenly dropped the line, Ding Junhui resisted the pressure and pulled back a game with 88-31. In the fourth game, Ding Junhui completed a big reversal after clearing the table and narrowly won 66-62. However, in the fifth game, Robbie Williams directly hit a single-shot attack with 119 points to grab the match point first. In the end, Robbie Williams ended the game 72-56 and eliminated Ding Junhui 4-2.
Expanding: The result of this game was a surprise, but it also reflected the inability of the game from the side. Ding Junhui showed signs of hesitation and instability at the beginning of the match, while Robbie Williams took the opportunity to launch a strong attack that put Ding Junhui under a lot of pressure. Although Ding Junhui showed some signs of fierce counterattacks in the game, his performance was not good enough at key moments. Robbie Williams used his experience and strength to seize the initiative in the game and set up a lot of obstacles for Ding Junhui. For Ding Junhui, this game is undoubtedly a challenge, and he needs to make a breakthrough in on-the-spot performance and psychological pressure resistance. This also reminds us that the victory or defeat of the first gram match is not only determined by strength and skill, but also by various external factors.
In addition to what happened to Ding Junhui, there were also some wonderful games on other fields. Milkins shot a 140 and an 83 in one match to easily beat Alan Taylor 4-1. Defending champion Hawkins narrowly beat Xiao Guodong in a tight match, shooting 102, 89, 72 and 59 points to finish 4-3. In addition, McGill scored 105 points in the match against Long Zehuang and won 4-1. Unfortunately, the other two Chinese players, Xiao Guodong and Long Zehuang, were eliminated in the competition, and even though they showed some strength, they still failed to win.
Expanding: In addition to Ding Junhui's game, other arenas are also full of highlights. Milkins was a remarkable, not only scoring a 140 in one match, but also winning by an unbeatable margin. Hawkins also performed well as the defending champion, showing his strength and determination in the battle against Xiao Guodong. He blasted a succession of high-scoring attacks to successfully turn the tables around and emerge victorious. McGill also had a great performance against Long Zehuang, where he earned the victory with consistency and great skill. It's a pity that the two Chinese players, Xiao Guodong and Long Zehuang, encountered some difficulties in the competition, and in the end they couldn't counterattack and missed the promotion. Their defeat is a reminder that strength is just as important as luck in the sport of gramming, and that every fight is a new challenge.
Through the display of this game, we can not only see the fierceness and excitement of the game, but also realize its inability. Ding Junhui, as a top player in the world, will inevitably encounter challenges and failures. The match against Robbie Williams was a lesson for Ding, and it was also a reminder that he still needs to improve his technical and mental qualities. We look forward to Ding Junhui showing his outstanding strength and talent again in the future, and achieving better results in the next competitions." In addition, we have been impressed by the wonderful performances in other arenas, and the gram as a technical and strategic sport will continue to bring us more amazing moments.