Snooker: Bagillt’s Ricky Walden rediscovers his form in Warsaw

Oct 6 2011 by Alec Doyle, Flintshire Chronicle

RICKY Walden found his best form to reach the final of the Warsaw Classic.

But the 28-year-old from Bagillt was unable to secure the second ranking title of his career as he went down 4-1 in the final to former world champion Neil Robertson.

Walden, the 2008 Shanghai Masters winner, has struggled so far this season and lost his place in the world’s top 16.

But he will take heart from his performances at a Polish event which doubled up as the sixth round of the Players Tour Championship.

The world number 22 thrashed Mitchell Mann (4-0), Andrew Norman (4-1), Cao Yupeng (4-0) and Liu Chuang (4-0) before edging out world number eight Judd Trump 4-3 in the quarter-finals.

The legendary Steve Davis lay in wait in the last four, but Walden was on a roll and held his nerve to beat the six-time world champion 4-3 and seal his place in the decider against world number four Robertson.

Walden seemed to have rediscovered his very best form and the title was in his sights but Robertson, despite his own wobbles this year, is a class act and made life difficult for the Bagillt Bullet.

The Australian soon raced into a three-frame lead and, although Walden threatened a comeback in frame five, Robertson responded with a measured 68 clearance to win his first title in more than a year and the £10,000 first prize.

Robertson’s victory takes him to the top of the Players Tour Championship Order of Merit.

Walden, who plays in round seven in Gloucester tomorrow, is up to 12th.