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 While all is quiet and calm in the Walden camp, there are a few new photos to look at in the gallery.
The pictures from 2008 Paul Hunter Classic that was held in Furth, Germany earlier this year, where Ricky had a decent run beating Steve Davis, Joe Perry and Michael Judge and only losing to Shaun Murphy in the semi-final, are kindly provided by the German cuesport magazine Touch-Magazine.
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.gif) In his latest entry in the Snooker Scene blog Dave Hendon gives his opinion on the potential wildcard candidates for the prestigious Wembley Masters.
Hendon considers Ricky Walden a strong favourite based on his recent win in Shanghai. We also think that for his impressive run in the asian tournament Walden deserves to be treated with a chance to play at Wembley.
Another option apart from being awarded the invite, would be to win the Masters qualifying tournament that will take place at EIS Sheffield on 21-26 November.
Either way, we're left to wait until the official announcement and keep fingers crossed for Ricky.. |
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 When Ricky steps off the plane today, he will be thrilled to hear that Leeroy Gorton is through to the last 64 of the Shropshire Star Championship.
Gorton, who heads up Ricky's management team was in "sparkling" form as he saw off Angus Way, three-frames-to one.
"It was a tricky opener, and I'm glad it's out of the way, but now I feel like I have the game to go all the way", Gorton said in a press conference afterwards.
Speaking exclusively to rickywalden.co.uk after the press conference, Gorton opened up a little more.
"Matthew Davies has won the title three times in the last four years, but this is the first time that I have been able to make the start line. Matthew is probably the best player in the county and is a former English champion, but I know that I have to beat the best in order to lift the title."
Gorton will find out his next opponent when the draw for the last 64 is done, but no doubt will be confident of taking the form he has been showing on the practice table forward.
Watch this space... |
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Ricky Goes Snooker Loopy! |
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 Ricky has been experimenting with new techniques on the eve of the first ranking event ever staged in Bahrain.
Preparation for the Bahrain Championship has gone well for the Shanghai Masters champion, and he has even looked at ways of improving his technique.
Speaking exclusively to rickywalden.co.uk, he said, "I am always thinking that there is room for improvement, and the loop bridge is the latest way I have found of gaining better control on certain shots.
The loop bridge has been used for years in eight and nine-ball pool and I always admired the control that Jim Rempe managed to get, and so I started to try it out.
I have been a big fan of Jim Rempe for many years. He epitomizes Cue Sports and how it should be played.
Ronnie started playing left-handed a few years ago and now lots of players have started to do it. I think the loop bridge might be the same and in a few years you may see a number of the players using it".
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Walden Earns Bahrain Berth |
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Ricky Walden booked his seat on the flight to Bahrain with a 5-2 defeat of Jimmy Michie in the final qualifying round.
The Roewe Shanghai Masters champion came from 2-0 down to win five consecutive frames and ensure his place in the final stages, which run from November 8 to 15 at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre in Manama.
Flintshire's Walden compiled breaks of 92 and 62 twice. He is now set to play Stephen Hendry in the last 32, although he could be one of the six lowest seeded qualifiers, who each have to face a wild card.
www.worldsnooker.com |
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Ricky Walden: I can build on my big break! |
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 The Bagillt bombshell talks Flintshire Chronicle Sports Editor Paul Wheelock about his incredible snooker victory at the Shanghai Masters.
Ricky Walden says his incredible victory at the Shanghai Masters is only the start.
The 25-year-old qualifier from Bagillt caused one of the greatest shocks snooker has seen in years on Sunday when he claimed his first ranking title by stunning three-time world champion and world number one Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-8 in the final.
Walden, who also knocked out seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry MBE and six-time world champion Steve Davis OBE on his way to the £52,000 winner’s prize, has now truly lived up to his billing as one of the world’s most exciting young players after years of near misses.
And, having broken his duck, the world number 35 has no intention of resting on his laurels.
Walden told the Chronicle: "My aim has always been to win a title but once you do, it still comes as a massive shock.
"I’ve been frustrated in the past by falling at silly hurdles. It really got to me, but something has just clicked and if I’m making mistakes now, I just get on with it.
"It’s always nice to be called a great player, but there’s no point being a great player that doesn’t win. I think I’ve got that winning mentality now.
"It is going to bring a different sort of pressure. People will be gunning for me and expecting me to win tournaments, but I’ve just got to keep practising hard and hopefully another victory will be around the corner. I’m sure I can do it because it’s given me a whole lot of confidence."
Walden, who was welcomed home on Monday night by his friends, family, girlfriend and former Sealand team-mates at a surprise party at the Blossoms pub in Bagillt, returns to action on Sunday in the Grand Prix in Glasgow.
He will face world number eight Ryan Day in the first round and the Englishman, who was born in Chester but has lived all his life in Flintshire, is confident he can overcome the Welshman after a week in which he produced the best snooker of a career which started in the Deeside League.
The ex-Flint High School student swept aside World Under 21 Championship finalist Zhang Anda in the wildcard round before he came from behind to beat Hendry in the last 32.
Former World U21 champion Walden showed more amazing powers of recovery to defeat world number 10 Neil Robertson, Davis and then world number four Mark Selby to set-up the showpiece with O’Sullivan.
Walden, Chester Snooker Centre’s new professional, denied The Rocket the chance to become the first player since Hendry to win three ranking titles on the run, but only after he missed an easy red when he was 9-7 up.
Walden, who will take his friends to Las Vegas to celebrate later in the year, said: "I was thinking about everyone back home in Bagillt celebrating and I took my eye off the ball. So when Ronnie cleared up to make it 9-8, I thought my chance had gone, but I showed a bit of grit and put a good century away to win. It was an amazing feeling."
You can also watch a video interview with Ricky by clicking this link. |
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Walden Stuns O’Sullivan In Shanghai Final |
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 In one of the biggest snooker shocks in recent years, Ricky Walden won his maiden ranking title by beating Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-8 in the final of the Roewe Shanghai Masters.
O'Sullivan is currently snooker's dominant force and was bidding to win a third consecutive ranking tournament. But he proved second-best to an inspired performance from Walden.
The 25-year-old, who lives in Bagiltt in North Wales but considers himself English, lifted the trophy and accepted a cheque for £52,000 at the Shanghai Grand Stage.
World No 1 and 888.com World Snooker Champion O'Sullivan may feel that he will never get a better chance to win three ranking events on the bounce - a feat last achieved by Stephen Hendry in 1993. Though he showed a few flashes of brilliance during the contest, O'Sullivan made more unforced errors than he had in the 14 matches of his winning streak put together.
He managed to keep his focus throughout the contest, battling against slices of bad luck, kicks at inopportune moments, fraught coversations with referee Terry Camilleri and an opponent who wouldn't lie down. In the end, it was just a bad day in the office for the Rocket.
Walden showed great promise when he won the world under-21 title in 2001, but did not climb the rankings as quickly as expected. He has a superb record in the qualifiers at Prestatyn, just a few miles from his home, but struggled to replicate that form at venues. He may not have to worry about trips to Pontin's next season, as he has leapt to No 17 in the provisional rankings and must now target an official top 16 berth.
He was grouped in the same 2000/01 Young Players of Distinction class with Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire, and has now repeated their achievements by coming from nowhere to win a ranking tournament. The world No 35 is the second consecutive player ranked outside the top 16 to win this tournament, following Dominic Dale's success last year.
And no one can argue that Walden has not done it the hard way. To win the tournament he had to beat arguably the three best players ever - Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and O'Sullivan - as well as two of the top rising stars in Neil Robertson and Mark Selby.
Trailing 5-4 after the first session, Walden levelled up immediately as the concluding session got underway with a break of 95. He miscued early in the next when attempting a red with the rest and O'Sullivan regained the lead with a run of 108.
Walden recovered to 6-6 by winning the 12th frame with 30 and 48. Frame 13 started with a series of errors from both players. When O'Sullivan missed the pink to a centre pocket, Walden made a handy 48 then sealed the frame when O'Sullivan missed the black off the last red.
O'Sullivan hit back in the next with an 82 to level at 7-7. But early in the 15th he missed an easy red and let his opponent in for a run of 59. Walden then enjoyed a stroke of fortune as he fluked the third-last red in escaping from a snooker and added the black to edge ahead.
A scrappy 16th frame went the way of Walden as he closed in on victory at 9-7. He led 30-23 in frame 17 when he missed the simplest of reds to a centre pocket. O'Sullivan capitalised with a 43, calmly slotting the last red along the side cushion when an error could have cost him the match.
But any hopes of a fight-back for O'Sullivan were soon quashed as Walden needed only one chance to seal victory, making a superb 105 to finish the match in style.
Walden had never previously been beyond the quarter-finals of a ranking event, but he has now empahtically shrugged off the under-acheiever tag.
"I'm thrilled to bits to win my first tournament," said Walden. "I hope I can go on and achieve more now. I want to get into the top 16 and win more tournaments."
The former world under-21 champion missed a clear chance to win the match 10-7, but bounced straight back in the next frame to clinch it with a classy century. "I felt sick when I missed the red at 9-7 because I knew what a good chance it was," he said. "I lost concentration because I was thinking about lifting the trophy.
"I thought I could be sitting down for the next two frames. But when my next chance came along I managed to stay calm and take it. I've done well in events in China so I hope there will be more tournaments here."
A cheque of £52,000 means that it's by far Walden's biggest pay-day. "I'm going to go to Las Vegas with my friends and spend some of it," he added. "You have to enjoy the money when you get it."
O'Sullivan missed out on winning three consecutive ranking tournaments for the first time in his career - indeed he would have been the first player to achieve that feat since Stephen Hendry in 1993.
"I'm disappointed to lose although my expectations were never that high because I know I can play like that sometimes," said the world No 1. "I played ok this afternoon but tonight I wasn't at the races, I was poor. Ricky played well, he's been a good player for a while so I'm glad he's won something.
"I never thought the match would be easy, but I could have made it easier for myself if I'd played better. I'm not surprised I lost because I didn't put Ricky under any pressure, so I deserved to lose. It's still been a good week for me to get to the final."
www.worldsnooker.com |
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Walden Springs Shanghai Surprise |
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 Comeback king Ricky Walden recovered a 4-1 deficit to beat Mark Selby 6-4 and reach the first ranking final of his career at the Roewe Shanghai Masters.
Walden's great run in China continued with victory in today's first semi-final. His week has seen him defeat players with a combined total of 67 ranking event titles as he aims for his first.
His win leaves Selby with three consecutive ranking events semi-finals to his name in China but as yet to make that final break through.
"I’m thrilled to bits to be in my first final but it was a real struggle out there this afternoon. I had a bit of luck today but then I’ve had plenty of bad luck over my career so I think it evens itself out, but I’m happy to have some today.
For Selby it was a case of what might have been. His 4-1 lead evapourated and the Jester from Leicester was unable to halt the slide.
"Obviously disappointed to lose from 4-1 up. Ricky didn’t perform up to that point but after that he played a lot better. I seem to do really well over here in China, I thought I had a good chance to go on and win the tournament here but it hasn’t happened.
"I can’t put my finger on it, I had plenty of chances but for whatever reason I couldn’t take them," Selby admitted.
Neither player was at their best, highlighted by the fact there was no break of over fifty in the pre interval session. Selby could have gone into the break 4-0 up but having taken the first two he was amongst the balls again in the third but missed a straight forward red. Walden responded with 41 before snookering the Leicester cueman and eventually claiming the frame.
The World No.4 aiming to reach his fourth ranking event final took the next with runs of 41 and 47.
After the break Selby knocked in a run of 50 to help secure the frame and a 4-1 lead. Walden reduced his arrears in frame six and continued his revival in the next two.
The Flintshire potter was in all sorts of trouble escaping from a snooker in frame seven, he did so at the ninth attempt but when Selby attempted to play safe Walden capitalised with a 58 to narrow the gap to one.
The 25-year-old then pulled level with an 86 in frame eigth, the first frame of the match to be completed in under twenty minutes. That became four on the spin as Walden moved to within a frame of his first ranking event final.
He looked set to do that in the following frame but missed a straight forward red when trying to open the pack. Selby couldn't take advantage and Walden knocked in a break of 47 to book his place in tomorrow's final where he'll face one of the top two players in the world.
"I’m not bothered who I face, it’s the old cliché. Stephen is a good friend of mine so it would be good to play him but Ronnie is the best in the world so I don’t mind. To be honest for three years in my head I’ve been expecting to come to events and win them, so it’s good to get to a final at last," said Walden who'll relax this evening by watching Avril Lavigne in concert.
www.worldsnooker.com |
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Ricky Walden won the Belgian Open in Duffel after whitewashing Graeme Dott 4-0.
The world number 35 had little trouble sweeping aside 2006 world champion Dott, ranked 13.
Flintshire cueman Walden won 5000 euros in prize money ahead of the Grand Prix qualifiers.
Click Read more for Complete results.
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