Action from Day 4 of the Betfred Snooker World Championship 2017

Another busy day at the Crucible...different for me as I was back at the day job and also needing to cover the evening session of the UK Swimming Championships at Ponds Forge....

Last year's runner-up Ding Junhui overcame Crucible debutant Zhou Yuelong 10-5

 Zhou Yuelong in the press conference after the match

  Ding Junhui in the press conference after the match

Judd Trump who started his match against Rory McLeod by winning the first four frames, seen here playing in the eigth frame which then tied the match at 4-4.

 Referee Olivier Marteel

On table 1, Liang Wenbo ran out 10-7 winner against Stuart Carrington

Ding Junhui reaches the final of the World Snooker Championships

On a day when Mark Selby and Marco Fu played out the longest frame in Crucible history and so delayed the deciding afternoon session between Ding Junhui and Alan McManus, it was Ding who settled the best.

Resuming at 14-10 up in the best-of-33 match, Ding Junhui became the first Asian player to reach the World Championship Snooker final with a 17-11 victory. In doing so, his seven century breaks was a record for the most centuries in a Crucible match, previously held by Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry.

Coming into the tournament as ranked #17 Ding, along with Alan McManus, had to go through three qualifying matches, and becomes the first Asian player to reach the final of the World Snooker Championships.

 Alan McManus breaks off in frame #25.

 Both players stand away from the table and think about the options.

 Referee Olivier Marteel, Ding Junhui and Alan McManus contemplate the table.

Frame 26, Ding looks for the snooker on the pink but McManus comes back to win it and make it 15-11 at that point.

Action from Day Six at the World Snooker Championship

Some shots from Day Six at the 2016 World Snooker Championships.

Marco Fu and Anthony McGill at the start of their second round match.  Referee Olivier  Marteel tosses for break.

 Judd Trump breaks off in frame 10/19 in his first round match against Liang Wenbo.

World Snooker Championship - action from Day 9

Images from some of the matches going on today, Monday 27th April 2015, from the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield.

 Shaun Murphy using the rest in his match with Joe Perry

 Joe Perry playing down the table in his match with Shaun Murphy

 Referee Olivier Marteel shares a joke with the crowd before officiating the match between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Matthews Stevens

 Ronnie O'Sullivan breaks off in frame 17 of his match with Matthew Stevens

 Matthew Stevens plays out from under the cushion

 Ronnie O'Sullivan and Matthew Stevens chat between frames

Ronnie O'Sullivan wrapping up a 13-5 win to move into the quarter finals