Recovering Ding Junhui in race to clear the way to join York elite group

Ding Junhui in action against Martin Gould at last year's World Championships at the Crucible in Sheffield last year. Picture: Simon Cooper/PA.

Since winning the World Open in September, he has suffered early exits at the English Open in Barnsley and the International Championship, where Ding lost 6-4 to Leeds’s Oliver Lines.

Now Sheffield-based Ding - he moved to the Steel City as a teenager - is hoping his eyesight will improve in time for the UK finals at the York Barbican, which cues off on November 28.

Having won the title twice, his first being a memorable victory over Steve Davis in York in 2005, when he was just 18, Ding is hoping to join an elite club.

TOP MAN: Ding Junhui celebrates beating England's Steve Davis in the UK Championship Final at York's Barbican Centre in 2005. Picture: Alistair Wilson/PA.

Only Ronnie O’Sullivan, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and John Higgins have won the UK title three times or more in its 40-year history.

“The names you say are all legends,” said Ding. “I want to be a legend, so I need to work harder to win more tournaments and get in close to them.

“It is very special to win a tournament three or more times and especially the UK Championship. It is a brilliant event with a very long history.”

His 10-6 victory over Davis in 2005 was a landmark win for Ding - who had won his first ranking tournament earlier that year, the China Open.

GOOD OLD DAYS: Ding Junhui, in action against England's Steve Davis during the UK Championship Final in 2005. Picture: Alistair Wilson/PA.

He said: “Steve is a legendary player. The age gap between me and him was very big. I would have loved to play Steve at his peak. However, even when I started playing he was up there competing with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Hendry.

“When I played him in 2005, I just wanted to beat him. I wanted to learn how legends go about matches and try and incorporate that into my game.”

Ding - who plays Ireland’s Leo Fernandez in the opening round in York - also won the UK title in 2009, when he beat Higgins 10-8.

The World Championship is the one major title which still eludes Ding, but it seems only a matter of time before he triumphs at the Crucible in his adopted home city.

“I am getting closer and I believe I will win it one day,” said Ding. “I won’t worry too much about it, but I am getting ready to try and win it.

“It is a very different tournament because of the length of the matches. The longest matches in the whole season come at the Crucible. It is quite difficult for both players because, it is hard to play over this distance.

“There are lots of safety games and your mind can get tired, but I have to believe. It is a bit quieter than China (living) in Sheffield. It is different walking down the street. It feels different.

“There are a lot of snooker fans back home and I think I am helping to bring more tournaments to China. That is what I want to see. Snooker needs to be everywhere in the world and it is getting more like that.”

Tickets for the UK Championship - which runs from November 28 to December 10 - are available by visiting www.worldsnooker.com/tickets