LEGENDS ARE FOREVER: ZENITH ANNOUNCES STELLAR SNOOKER CHAMPION DING JUNHUI AS GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR

LEGENDS ARE FOREVER: ZENITH ANNOUNCES STELLAR SNOOKER CHAMPION DING JUNHUI AS GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR

In the course of its more than 150 years of watchmaking history, Zenith’s legendary pioneering breakthroughs have repeatedly proven to the world that legends are destined to meet. 

At the foot of the legendary Great Wall of China, in keeping with its tradition of partnering with the world’s most storied brands and celebrating people from a diverse range of fields, Zenith officially announced that Ding Junhui, China’s very own ‘snooker king’, is now a Zenith global brand ambassador. Zenith has also committed to promote snooker on a global scale as a way of paying tribute to the classic sport and helping new legends to emerge.

Snooker is renowned as a gentleman’s sport, a distinction it has earned because of its ability to test players’ character on many levels and which reflects a deep-felt respect for the nature of the game. Snooker has the power to change attitudes toward sport and lifestyle, creating connections with what it means to be gentleman on both spiritual and cultural levels. Ding Junhui was ranked No. 1 in the world in 2014, the first Asian snooker player to achieve this. He has already achieved unprecedented success in his ongoing snooker career: he has won twelve major ranking titles, four PTC titles, the Masters, the Six-red World Championship, the Champions League and four Jiangsu Classic championships.

The press conference was held at the foot of the Great Wall, setting up an impromptu open-air snooker venue. Guests sat in great expectation around a snooker table to see a once-in-a-lifetime "showdown" in this unique setting. Mr. Alvin Looi, Brand Director of Zenith China, hit the break-off shot to begin the first game, after which Ding Junhui showed off his precision and professional technique by sinking the first three red balls. The brilliant play and star power made this an extra-special signing ceremony.
Aldo Magada, President & Ceo of Zenith said: "This partnership is another way to express our gentlemen’s world, in addition to the different activities in which Zenith already engages. Ding is not only a champion and professional snooker player but also the most successful Asian young player in the history of his sport. He began playing at age 8 and Zenith fits perfectly with Ding, a leader who has been making his own choices since the start of his career. We are proud to have Ding as a Zenith ambassador.”


"It’s an impressive event with Zenith bringing snooker to the most legendary spot in China, the Great Wall. And I believe this is the beginning of the exciting collaboration between Zenith and me. I understand Zenith as a legendary watch brand that relentless pursues ultimate accuracy and breakthrough technical achievements. I'm ready to cooperate with this legendary brand to promote snooker on a global scale as a classic and noble sport, as well as to help new legends emerge” said Ding Junhui.

Another star of the evening, the El Primero Chronomaster, captured the full attention of all the guests present when it was presented to Ding Junhui as a signing gift by Zenith. Ding Junhui in turn gave Zenith a precious gift of his own to mark the occasion: a prized cue he had used for many years. Much like Ding Junhui’s pool cue, this watch also carries special significance for Zenith, making it a truly meaningful choice on Ding’s part. The watch’s mystique is due to the legendary release of the El Primero chronograph in 1969, a timepiece capable of precisely measuring time to the nearest one-tenth of a second. the watch preserves its classic three-tone dial and features a display back that shows the iconic mechanisms even more clearly, enabling appreciation of the legendary El Primero’s beauty and rhythms on a whole new level.

During the ceremony, another exceptional snooker game became the focus of the event, when ten-year-old snooker player gathered up all his courage to challenge the world’s snooker champion to a match. An exciting moment.

Ding Junhui shared his views on the significance of the day’s events: "Beyond the outcome of our games today, our aim is to encourage more young Chinese people to take up the sport of snooker," he said. Snooker has a way of endowing players of the sport with a unique gentlemanly charm as well as athletic poise.