Ding Junhui   DOHA, Dec.8 - Defending champion and world number four Ding Junhui of China won his third snooker gold at the Asian Games when he beat compatriot Liang Wenbo 4-2 in the singles final on Thursday.

 

The Chinese star, who had already won gold in the team event with Tian Pengfei and Liang on Wednesday as well as the doubles event on Tuesday, was pushed all the way in the best-of-seven match.

 

Liang won the first frame, 80-28 after a decisive break of 30.

 

But Ding, who is based in England and names British snooker stars Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan as his sporting heroes, hit back immediately.

 

He took the second frame 62-14, despite missing an easy red on 48 and handing Liang a long chance to take the frame.

 

The 19-year-old Shanghai native then struck a 65-point break in the third frame for a 2-1 lead.

 

The fourth game was tight and marked by a series of safety shots with Liang 35 points in front at 60-25, after his biggest break of 60.

 

Liang must have thought he had the frame in the bag after the shot of the match, cutting a fantastic long-range red lying in the "D" smart and fast into the top right pocket from deep centre table, but he couldn't nail a colour.

 

The safety shots continued and eventually Liang forced a penalty shot out of Ding and went on to win the frame 80-41 and tie the match at two frames apiece.

 

But Liang was made to pay in the fifth set, one missed red gifting Ding the match as the master cuesman made no error in making an impressive fast-ball 47-point clearance.

 

Ding didn't give his countryman a look-in in the final frame, posting a best break of 67 to give him an unassailable 88-0 lead and a 4-2 victory for triple gold.