Ding Junhui underlined his credentials as a potential world champion by becoming the youngest player to compile a 147 break in a televised match as the SAGA Insurance Masters moved into its new home at Wembley Arena yesterday.

The Chinese player, at 19 years and 9 months, achieved the holy grail of break-building in the seventh frame of his 6-3 first-round win over Anthony Hamilton, in which he made two other centuries. “It feels very special to make a 147 here,” Ding said through an interpreter after following in the footsteps of Kirk Stevens, who constructed his maximum in the penultimate frame of a 6-4 semi-final defeat by Jimmy White in 1984.

Yet, while the flamboyant Canadian, dressed in his trademark white suit, hugged his opponent and the referee and could hardly have been more expressive or exuberant, Ding’s celebration was remarkably understated.

The beginnings of a smile crept across his face and he acknowledged the crowd by briefly raising an arm, but within seconds the teenager had regained his usual impassive look.

“That’s what he’s like. I saw him in the toilets a few minutes afterwards and he seemed as though nothing had happened,” Hamilton said. “I suppose Ding makes so many 147s in practice that he’s just surprised it’s taken so long to nail one down when it matters.”

After potting his first red from distance, screwing off two cushions with right-hand side to drop deftly on the black, Ding did not encounter any positional problems.

“On the last red to the middle, I started to feel it, and the nerves came back on the last black,” Ding said. Nevertheless, he overcame an inevitable tightening of the cue arm, unlike Ken Doherty, who missed on 140 in the 2000 Masters final against Matthew Stevens.

Doherty’s error cost him the keys to a sports car valued at £88,000, but Ding will collect £35,000, assuming no one matches his 147. He has every reason to be confident, as this was only the second maximum in the 32-year history of the Masters.

Peter Ebdon, who beat Ding en route to winning the United Kingdom Championship last month, will provide his next opposition.

White, as much a darling of the Wembley Arena crowd as he was across the road at the now partially demolished Conference Centre, was “devastated” by his display after succumbing 6-1 to Matthew Stevens.

White, 44, has slumped to 56th in the provisional world rankings, having failed to survive his opening round in any counting tournament this season. Should he also lose early in the forthcoming China Open and 888.com World Championship, the unthinkable looms — the surrender of his tour card.

Only last week, White claimed he could still be world champion; yesterday those delusions were replaced by grim realism. ”If I drop out of the top 64 at the end of the season [the relegation cut], it’ll be thinking time. I’ll probably carry on, because I love the game, but everything will have to be put into consideration,” White, who in April last year was world No 8, said.

After winning his first Masters match for seven years, Stevens plays Stephen Hendry in the second round. White now begins preparing for an infinitely less glamorous China Open qualifying assignment at Pontins, Prestatyn, next week. As Stevens pointed out: “Jimmy is in his forties, and at the end of the day you can’t stay up there for ever.”

Max factor

147

Ding’s maximum was the first to be refereed by a woman, Michaela Tabb

147

The first on television was made by Steve Davis, 25 years and four days ago

147

The only other maximum in Masters history came from Kirk Stevens, of Canada, 23 years go

147

Players from ten countries have compiled maximums, Englishmen with most, 25

147

There have been 55 maximums in professional competition, 28 on TV