(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-04-23 10:03

SHEFFIELD, England - China's Ding Junhui overcame an opening session blip to secure his place in the second round of the snooker world championships here on Tuesday as he edged Hong Kong's Marco Fu 10-9.

China's Ding Junhui (front) and Marco Fu from Hong Kong of China react during the first round of the Snooker World Championships in Sheffield of England April 22, 2008. Ding eliminated Fu in the deciding frame of the best-of-nineteen game. [Xinhua]

The 21-year-old Ding - who is the youngest player ever to win three ranking titles the China Open and UK Championships in 2005 and the Northern Ireland Trophy in 2006 - led 5-1 but the less spectacular Fu recovered to trail 5-4 at the end of the opening session.

Fu carried on that run of form against a player who has yet to make it past the quarter-finals in a ranking tournament this season to take a 6-5 lead.

Ding, though, regrouped and two breaks of 97 and 114 saw him resume control of the clash, before the world number nine took his third chance in the decider.

Ding looked to be in total control of the opening session after breaks of 113, 87 and 99 saw him soar four frames clear.

The final frame started with both players missing testing long reds, but Fu's effort ended up over the pocket, gifting Ding his first chance.

The Chinese star made nine points before breaking down, and repeated the mistake soon after.

But a superb escape from a tricky snooker behind the green swung the match back in Ding's favour, and he took full advantage with a 76 break taking him into the second round.

Ding's emergence along with Fu has been credited with eliciting a huge interest in the sport in Asia which was illustrated when a staggering 110 million people tuned into the China Open final in 2005 when Ding made his breakthrough by beating seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry.

There are two other Chinese cuemen who have made the finals, Liu Chuang and Liang Wenbo.

British bookmakers William Hill face a 100,000 pounds (200,000 dollars) payout to Dr You Sen Huang from Beijing, who, 11 years ago staked 200 pounds at odds of 500/1 on a Chinese-born player becoming world champion before 2010.

Tuesday's evening session also saw former world champion Shaun Murphy confirm his status as one of the favourites for this year's title as he powered to a 7-2 lead over an outclassed Dave Harold.

Earlier Hendry insisted he can defy the doubters and win an eighth World Snooker title following a thrilling first round win.

The Scot staged a superb comeback to beat Northern Ireland's Mark Allen after winning the last three frames to seal a 10-9 victory.

"I've got to take confidence from a win like this, to be up against it all the way and come through in the end, and to win the last frame in style in one visit is very pleasing," said Hendry, who made his Crucible debut in 1986, the year Allen was born.

"You only have to look at my record the last two or three years and even I would have written myself off. I know I'm not down as one of the favourites but I know I'm easily capable of winning it."

Last year's beaten finalist Mark Selby insisted the pressure of being second favourite was not to blame for his shock first-round exit.

Selby was well fancied to go one better after lifting the Wales Open and winning the Masters on his Wembley debut this season.

But the 24-year-old saw his 5-4 overnight lead quickly wiped out by Mark King and the left-hander went on to complete a shock 10-8 victory.

"It's a little bit disappointing but I don't think over the two days I've really performed," admitted Selby. "Take nothing away from Mark, every time he got a chance he punished me.