2017 World Snooker Championship (Day 13) - Higgins & Ding take semi-final lead

Scotsman John Higgins and China's best Ding Junhui have taken an early lead of 5-3 over their opponents, Barry Hawkins and Mark Selby respectively, after the first session of the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championship semi-finals.

Although the start of the Higgins and Hawkins match was a bit scrappy, the four-time world champion managed to put together breaks of 63 and 59 to take the first three frames and win a pretty dramatic 4th one after "The Hawk" missed the last pink, to go 4-0 up.

But as the mid-session interval was coming to an end, Hawkins' form kicked in, the Englishman crafting breaks of 62 and 71 to win his first two frames of the match.

Higgins extended his lead after taking frame seven, but Hawkins crawled back and took the last frame of the session to trail 5-3.


Ding Junhui took on the reining world champion and world number one, Mark Selby in a real battle of cues, the lads finding themselves tight at 2-2 at the mid session interval.

The first to break the ice was Ding, thanks to a break of 76, but Selby responded with a 69 to draw level. Ding put his nose in front once again, this time with a solid 84, but Selby managed to draw level after hitting a 99 break.

At returning into the arena, the 2016 world champion got into the leading position for the first time since the start of the match, but Ding was sure to make the most of an almost 40 minutes 6th frame and get the balanced restored.

He went on and also added the last two frames of the session, with a top break of 110, to get a comfortable lead of 5-3.

Friday's match schedule:

10am
Mark Selby 3-5 Ding Junhui

2.30pm
John Higgins 5-3 Barry Hawkins

7pm
Mark Selby 3-5 Ding Junhui

*all hours are UK time

Photo credit: World Snooker