Ricky Walden, the new Roewe Shanghai Masters champion, was bumped in the Royal London Watches Grand Prix by Pontycymer potter Ryan Day. The event was held at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Center in Glasgow, Scotland.

Walden is from Flintshire and came back from being down 4-1 to beat Neil Robertson and Mark Selby. Walden then moved on the final to play Ronnie O’Suillivan. Day took a 4-2 lead with breaks of 80, 70, 51 and 72 but Walden managed to get a break of 103 to win the seventh frame and got a 50 clearance to make the numbers 4-4.

Day then brought his game up a notch and built a break of 62 and shut out Walden, who is ranked number eight. Day then had reached the last sixteen players left in the tournament. When Day won the match he was placed in the random draw for the last sixteen players. Day would have to face Mark Selby, number 4 in the world.

Day has two ranking finals under his belt but has yet to win a title. Day hopes that this tournament will be his first win. “If I keep playing well and working hard, then I’m sure it will come. It was a tough game because Ricky is bang in form and he’s been hard to beat this year. I was pleased to make a nice break in the last frame,” stated Day.


- 2008-10-17