UK Championship snooker: Three-time winner Ding Junhui books spot in final stages with two centuries – ‘I love York’

Former champion Ding Junhui became the first man to reach the last 32 of the UK Championship on Wednesday afternoon with an impressive 6-3 win against Robbie Williams.

World No. 17 Ding has carried off the UK trophy three times in 2005, 2009 and 2019 – and illustrated why he has the scoring ability to challenge for a fourth title this year.

After watching Williams open with a knock of 52, Ding produced breaks of 122 and 67 to lead 3-1 at the mid-session interval at the Morningside Arena in…