Dott backing Ding for Masters glory

Graeme Dott tipped Ding Junhui to land his first Masters trophy after the Chinese cueman fired three centuries in a thumping Wembley win.

Scot Dott lost 6-2 to 2007 finalist Ding in their quarter-final contest, as he failed to build on an opening-round shock win over John Higgins. Ding made his centuries in a four-frame burst before the interval, and held himself together to see off last season's World Championship runner-up.

"Ding did to me what I did to John Higgins," said Dott. "If Ding plays like that he can definitely win it."

Dott struggled for fluency throughout, missing a host of easy balls, and his highest break was just 38.

By contrast Ding roared out of the blocks to take the first two frames with breaks of 124 and 108, and another 124 break came in frame four as he eased 3-1 ahead.

His opponent closed the gap in the first frame back, but breaks of 74, 35, 38 and 52 saw Ding home and set up a semi-final against Jamie Cope.

Cope, making his Masters debut this year, set up a Saturday evening semi-final clash with Ding by beating Mark King 6-1.

King made an opening break of 48 in the first frame, but let Cope back in and the 25-year-old from Stoke surged into a 4-0 interval lead with sharp breaks of 66, 51 and 53.

A superb 102 from King cut Cope's lead, but the Essex potter would not win another frame as his mistakes piled up.