Ding Junhui is enjoying his time at the UK Championship and hopes to avoid becoming another big-name casualty. The Chinese star is a two-time winner of the York event, first taking the title as an 18-year-old in 2005 before doubling his tally four years later.

The 31-year-old has not fared so well since, with just one quarter-final appearances on his CV in the past eight trips to the Barbican Centre, while he was a first-round casualty 12 months ago. Ding has picked and chosen his events carefully so far this season, but now seems to have the bit between his teeth and is eager to get into the thick of the action.

“The UK Championship is always a good tournament, I like York and I like the Barbican Centre – hopefully it can get better,” he said.

“I haven’t played a lot of tournaments at the start of this season, I’ve played in China but now it’s back to the UK – I want to play everything and get myself back into matches.”

There have been a couple of shocks already, with world number one Mark Selby suffering a 6-3 first-round loss to amateur James Cahill, while former world champion Shaun Murphy fell to China’s world number 125 Chen Feilong.

Ding, 19.00 to take the title, has his thoughts on why the lesser lights are starting to make a name for themselves against the big boys.

“Previously, people never really got the chance to play on the TV table, so they’d get on table one and play Ronnie O’Sullivan and have no idea how to play it,” he added.

“Now they’ve got more experience, in some short tournaments where it’s best-of-seven, you can lose really quickly.”

Ding is priced at 1.22 to beat Matthew Selt in round two on Sunday, with the 33-year-old Englishman on offer at 4.20.