Ding Junhui is a former world number one, a Masters champion, and one of the most influential figures in snooker this century.
Ding Junhui – Career Snapshot
| Date of birth: | 1 April 1987 |
| From: | China |
| Turned professional: | 2003 |
| Highest world ranking: | No. 1 |
| Ranking titles: | 15 |
| World Championship titles: | 0 |
| Triple Crown titles: | 4 |
| Masters appearances: | 20 |
| Maximum 147 breaks: | 7 |
Ding Junhui’s Snooker Career
By the time a 15-year Ding Junhui won the IBSF World Championship in 2002, there was already plenty of excitement regarding his future standing in the game. It didn’t take long for the young superstar to make his mark on the professional scene, sensationally capturing the China Open in front of an exuberant home crowd on his 18th birthday in 2005.
Half a year later, Ding was the UK champion and by the time he won the Northern Ireland Open in 2006 he had already taken the scalps of Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, and Ronnie O’Sullivan in ranking event finals. The teenager’s success instigated an incredible boom of popularity for snooker in China, making Ding one of the most integral figures for the sport this century.
But with his popularity came enormous pressure to produce on the biggest stages. After suffering a bruising defeat to O’Sullivan in the final of the 2007 Masters, Ding has been on an emotional rollercoaster while enduring numerous peaks and troughs during his career.
The highs have been high – notably an amazing 2013/14 season in which he captured five ranking titles ahead of claiming top spot in the world rankings for the first time. Ding also triumphed in the 2011 Masters and twice more in the UK Championship, most recently in 2019.
But the lows have equally been very low as he has struggled with consistency and with lofty expectations from his adoring fans to land the biggest prize of them all at the Crucible Theatre. Ding came closest to bagging that elusive World Championship glory in 2016 when he emerged as a qualifier with a run to the final, only to be denied by Mark Selby.
In 2024, he ended a five-year drought in ranking events by capturing the International Championship title in Nanjing.
Ding Junhui’s Ranking Titles
Ding Junhui has won a total of 15 ranking titles during his professional career.
| Year | Tournament |
|---|---|
| 2005 | China Open |
| 2005 | UK Championship |
| 2006 | Northern Ireland Trophy |
| 2009 | UK Championship |
| 2012 | Welsh Open |
| 2013 | PTC Grand Finals |
| 2013 | Shanghai Masters |
| 2013 | Indian Open |
| 2013 | International Championship |
| 2014 | German Masters |
| 2014 | China Open |
| 2016 | Shanghai Masters |
| 2017 | World Open |
| 2019 | UK Championship |
| 2024 | International Championship |
Other Major Titles and Notable Wins
- The Masters (2011)
- Minor ranking events (2010 PTC Event 5, 2012 Scottish Open, 2014 Yixing Open, 2015 Haining Open)
- Championship League (2012)
- Six Red World Championship (2016, 2023)
- World Cup (2011, 2017)
Ding Junhui and the Triple Crown
Ding Junhui has won four Triple Crown titles, capturing the Masters and the UK Championship.
- World Championship: 0 titles
- UK Championship: 3 titles (2005, 2009, 2019)
- Masters: 1 title (2011)
SHQ Star Rating: ★★★★★★
SnookerHQ uses a seven-point star scale based on the scoring values of snooker balls, with a black (7) representing the highest career classification. Ratings are assigned using career achievements, longevity, and historical impact.
Ding Junhui: ★★★★★★
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Featured photo credit: WST