Snooker: Ding Junhui rings up a hat-trick of titles

Ding Junhui makes history with his victory over Marco Fu (Getty)

China’s Ding Junhui became the first player this century to win three successive ranking titles when he defeated Hong Kong’s Marco Fu in a closely contested final of the International Championship in Chengdu on Sunday.

The 26-year-old defeated Fu 10-9 in a tense finale, as the clock ticked past midnight in China, to follow up his wins at the Shanghai Masters and Indian Open.

The victory means Ding has pocketed prize-money of £257,000 over a six-week spell and he joins Peter Ebdon and John Parrott with nine ranking titles to his name. Stephen Hendry was the last player to achieve the hat-trick, in 1993.

Having already seen off the world No 1 Neil Robertson, world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and defending champion Judd Trump in previous rounds, Ding wrapped up victory over Fu with a break of 91 in the last frame to finish with a flourish.