CHINA’s number one star Ding Junhui is out of the International Championship after losing a thrilling third round encounter to Welshman Ryan Day.

Ding looked well set for a place in the last 16 of the major ranking event when he led 4-2 but Day battled back to edge out an epic eleven frame match.

A break of 108 in the seventh frame sparked the world number 20’s comeback who then levelled to make it 4-4.

Ding then won the next to go within touching distance of victory but Day battled back to force a final frame decider.

A crucial missed red from Ding at the halfway stage of the vital frame proved costly as Day managed to get over the winning line.

The result means it is now almost 18 months since Ding won a major ranking event with his last triumph coming in last year’s China Open.

And this is not the first time Day has had the better of Ding in the sport’s major events. He knocked Ding out of the first round of the World Championship in 2012 beating him 10-9 and also beat him in the UK Championship in the same year.

Elsewhere on an action packed day in Daqing, it was a case of sweet revenge for world number one Mark Selby who beat the man who defeated him in this year’s World Championship.

Anthony McGill was one of the main stars of the Crucible this year after he beat the then defending world champion in the second round 13-9.

But history did not repeat itself as an impressive performance from Selby saw him win in convincing style 6-1.

China’s new kid on the block Zhou Yuelong continued to shine after he thrashed Sanderson Lam 6-0 to reach the last 16 of a major ranking event for the first time.

The talented 17-year-old is on a roll after previously knocking out Sam Baird and world number 23 Martin Gould.

Shaun Murphy booked his place in the fourth round with a comfortable 6-2 win over Jamie Jones and John Higgins came back from 3-1 down to beat Michael Holt.

Last year’s finalist Mark Allen advanced through to the last 16 stage after beating Shanghai Masters winner Kyren Wilson 6-3.

Graeme Dott beat Peter Ebdon 6-3 to set up a last 16 encounter against world number 4 Neil Robertson – a repeat of the 2010 World Championship final which the Australian won.

Robertson secured his place in the last 16 with a 6-3 win over Fergal O’Brien.

World number 43 Jimmy Robertson reached the last 16 of a major ranking event for the first time after recording an impressive 6-4 win over two-times ranking event winner Barry Hawkins.

Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh also produced one of the day’s shock results after coming back from behind to beat former world champion Mark Williams 6-5.

However there was less joy for China’s Yu Delu who failed to build on his impressive victory over world champion Stuart Bingham on Monday after losing 6-5 to Ben Woollaston.

There were also wins for Tian Pengfei, David Gilbert, Michael White and Joe Perry.

International Championship – Last 16 Draw

Tian PENGFEI vs Mark ALLEN
Thepchaiya UN-NOOH vs Zhou YUELONG
Jimmy ROBERTSON vs Marco FU
David GILBERT vs Ryan DAY
Mark SELBY vs Michael WHITE
Graeme DOTT vs Neil ROBERTSON
Shaun MURPHY vs John HIGGINS
Joe PERRY vs Ben WOOLLASTON