In the International Championship final on Sunday in Tianjin, China, Zhang Anda defeated Tom Ford 10–6 thanks to three centuries in a match that will go down in history for the home team. The 37th-ranked player, who defeated Ronnie O’Sullivan in the semifinal, overcame the Englishman and won his first ranking title with a thrilling third-frame 147 maximum break.
Zhang Anda won the International Championship championship on Sunday, his first ranking trophy, defeating Tom Ford 10–6 with a second career 147 maximum break.
The home favourite defeated the Englishman with a masterful showing in front of the Tianjin crowd in China, earning three centuries in the process.
Ford took an early lead with a 63-point opening break, but Zhang equalised with a 57-point break.
The first two frames would appear uninteresting in contrast to the third, where Zhang stunned Ford and took the early lead with an incredible maximum break.
The partisan crowd applauded the local favourite as he achieved his second career maximum clearance and third 147 of the season.
Although Ford was unable to match Zhang’s level of effort, his 93-point clearance put one back at 2-2.
The partisan crowd applauded the local favourite as he achieved his second career maximum clearance and third 147 of the season.
Although Ford was unable to match Zhang’s level of effort, his 93-point clearance put one back at 2-2.
Ford took the lead for the second time in the match after two more exchanges ended in a 3-3 draw. Ford then won the closest of the frames, 51-50.
Zhang, who is rated 37th in the world, improved his performance in the next two frames and firstly drew level after scoring 86. However, he took the lead 5-4 heading into the second session with a second century of 101.
After the break, both players looked rusty, and Ford won the opening set of the evening session in Tianjin with a 91-break after a tenacious comeback to the game.
