Ding Junhui Beats O'Connor 4-1 to End Losing Streak and Reach Ranking Event Quarterfinals

When O'Connor leveled the second frame with a 61 break, how many people felt a sense of worry? At the 2022 Scottish Open, Ding Junhui led 2-0 with a big advantage before O'Connor fought back to win four straight frames. Since that match, O'Connor had become a genuine difficult opponent for Ding — two meetings, two defeats.

So when the score became 1-1 in the second frame, some people on social media were already saying that history might repeat itself. But this time, Ding did not allow the match to follow the old script. The third frame became the turning point. Ding scored only six points after getting on the table with a long pot before switching to safety play. He then created several snooker situations, and O'Connor was penalized 17 points while struggling with the escapes. Ding later potted a red into the left middle pocket and built a 94-point contribution through multiple visits, leaving O'Connor unable to recover. In this frame, Ding stabilized the match with the defensive battle that has often been one of O'Connor's strengths.

The post-match statistics clearly showed the difference: total points were 343-118, pot success rate was 74%-46%, and 50+ breaks were 3-1. O'Connor's average shot time was 33.6 seconds, while Ding maintained a steady 24.1 seconds, avoiding being dragged into his opponent's slower rhythm.

Match-related content.

In the first frame, Ding made a 59 break before moving into safety play. After O'Connor made an escape error, Ding returned to the table and won 86-0. In the second frame, Ding made several simple mistakes in attack, allowing O'Connor to respond with a 61 break and level the match 110-14. In the third frame, Ding produced a 51 break and won 94-0.

In the fifth frame, Ding took an early 34 points before making an error. O'Connor scored only seven points before his attack ended, giving Ding another chance to score steadily and secure the win. A 4-1 victory completed the match in convincing fashion.

This was the first time in Ding Junhui's career that he defeated O'Connor, and it was also his first ranking event quarterfinal appearance this season. Some people pointed to Allen's withdrawal and suggested that Ding received a favorable draw. Allen withdrew before the English Open, meaning a potential last-16 meeting with Allen became a match against O'Connor, objectively removing one strong opponent. However, the 4-1 result was not handed to Ding; being levelled in the second frame, forcing mistakes with safety play in the third, and taking a second chance in the fifth were all earned through frame-by-frame battles.

Ding Junhui's form has fluctuated since the start of this season. He survived a seven-frame battle against Holt in the opening round with a 4-3 win, and also faced a challenge against Hugill in the last-32 round. Earlier at the British Open, he suffered a 1-4 defeat to Boyko, ranked 72nd in the world, leading to continued outside criticism.

Against O'Connor, however, Ding showed a different level of performance. Even after being pegged back in the second frame, he remained composed. He played steadily in safety exchanges, reduced unnecessary attacking risks, understood when to make choices, and no longer focused only on chasing high breaks and centuries. Without a century break, he still relied on consistent scoring and high-quality safety play to defeat a previous nemesis.

In the quarterfinals, Ding Junhui will face Kyren Wilson. Wilson had just defeated Selby 4-3 in the last-16 round, making breaks of 84 and 52 and completing a match-winning yellow pot in the decider. The value of Ding's victory was not only the 4-1 scoreline, but also the improvement in his long-potting, confidence in safety play, and more reliable handling of finishing positions.