Ding Junhui takes on Liang Wenbo in the third round of the International Championship on Wednesday in as the two Chinese stars go head-to-head in Daqing.
Ding is 1.44 to claim the win and Liang can be backed at 2.70, while a 6-2 win for Ding is 6.50 and Liang is 1.61 with a +2.5 frames handicap. Ding has already beaten two compatriots in the tournament after seeing off Zhao Xintong 6-4 in his opener before thrashing Xiao Guodong in the previous round.
Xiao had lost his previous seven matches against Ding but was expected to provide the world number nine with a test regardless, but it was a one sided affair as the former world number one claimed a 6-1 victory.
Ding could face a tougher test against Liang, who leads the head-to-head between the two players 4-3, as he has never claimed a win over the 32-year-old left-handed player in any tournament other than the World Championship in Sheffield.
Liang has struggled for form in Daqing despite reaching the third round however, as he was taken to a deciding frame in his opener against Duane Jones and then managed a 6-4 win over Daniel Wells, who are both ranked outside the world’s top 50.
Ding endured a tough campaign last year by his standards as he ended the season without a tournament victory, although he did reach the semi-finals of The Masters in his best display in a major for two years.
Ding is 19.00 to win The Masters this season and 21.00 to win a maiden World Championship title.
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