China's Dingjunhui kisses the trophy after beating Scottish John Higgins in the final of the UK Championship in Telford, Dec. 13, 2009.[Xinhua/AFP Photo]

John Higgins declared he would be "flabbergasted" if Pukka Pies UK Champion Ding Junhui doesn't go on to take the World title at some stage in his career.

Ding won his second UK title and fourth ranking event with a 10-8 defeat of Higgins in Telford tonight, and the current Betfred.com World Champion believes that the 22-year-old Chinese star has the ability to triumph on snooker's biggest stage.

"It's good to see Ding back, it was only a matter of time because he's that good a player," said Higgins. "I'm sure he will win the World title, he's got the game for it and wins like this one will help him. I'd be flabbergasted if he finishes his career without winning it."

Ding, who broke a sequence of 40 months without a ranking title, said: "I've had a long time without winning so I'm so happy, it's crazy. I've been working very hard this season, practising six or seven hours a day with no breaks. After my first match here, I had confidence and felt I could play better."

The player from Wuxi, based at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield during the season, agreed that the World title could be within his grasp. "I know how to win and I've got more experience now against the top players," he said. "There was a lot of pressure at the end of last season because I nearly dropped out of the top 16, so I'm surprised to play well in the first three tournaments this season. I am still sometimes missing easy balls and my head is not good, so I must learnt to control myself."

Ding, whose English is improving gradually, added that the emergence of countryman Liang Wenbo as a potential top 16 player has helped his own game. "I'm happy it's not just me (as a leading Chinese player) now," he said. "Liang works hard and he should be winning, so it's good to see him improve. It helps me push myself to win."

Scotland's Higgins felt that his glaring miss on the brown at the end of the 15th frame was the key moment. "It's the worst shot I've ever missed and that's what turned it," said the 34-year-old after failing to win a third UK title. "I don't think I'll have nightmares about it because it goes past that stage. I won't sleep tonight because of it. I missed three or four unforgivable balls in the last few frames.

"It was a strange match, the balls went awkward. From 7-6 up I should have done better. Ding's safety was fantastic, whenever I had him in trouble, he put me back in it."