On 16 December, in his second round match against John Higgins at the UK Championship, Ding scored a maximum 147 break in the third frame. Ding began the season by reaching the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters and the final of the Grand Prix where he defeated Matthew Stevens 5--4 in the first round, Stephen Maguire 5--1 in the second round, Peter Ebdon 5--2 in the quarter-finals, and Mark Williams 6--1 in the semi-finals.
Matthew Stevens
Stephen Maguire