Ricky Walden beats Martin Gould in thrilling final frame: China Open 2011
Ricky Walden beat Martin Gould by a frame score of 5-4 in the last 32 round of the Bank of Beijing China Open 2011 at Beijing Students University Gymnasium in China on Thursday.
The Pinner Potter, Martin Gould, who beat Mike Dunn in the final qualifying round, lost the match in a thrilling deciding frame. It was a hard-fought competition between the two closely ranked players, and the overall score-line was 34-106, 77-0, 40-71,
67-59, 28-72, 63-65, 89-0 and 71-6.
In the opening frame both players got a number of chances before 29-year-old Gould displayed some of his flawless safety skills to take a 1-0 lead. However, any early nerves were settled in the next frame, when Walden fired up a classy break of 70 to level
things at 1-1.
Walden was also the first one to be among the balls in the third, but this time he lost control of his emotions and when the chance presented itself, Gould slotted a magnificent break of 71 to restore his lead at 2-1.
The fourth frame was over in the blink of an eye, as both players fired carving breaks of 59 and 67 in it. Gould was almost on the verge of clinching the frame but he lost his nerves, breaking down on 59. However, Walden showed nerves of steel to pocket
the frame on the final black ball with a superb clearance of 67.
At this stage the match was nicely poised at a frame score of 2-2 before Gould bounced back and took two frames straight. He enjoyed dominant breaks of 71 and 32 in the sixth and seventh respectively to leave his opponent down by two frames at 4-2 with three
to play.
The match was almost through and it looked as if Gould would secure a place in the next round, but Walden then managed to claw his way back into the game, and won the next three frames in a row. He took the seventh frame without doing anything outstanding.
However, in the eighth he produced a brilliant break of 69 under extreme pressure to force the decider.
A bout of safety play was seen in the deciding frame with neither player willing to make a mistake. However, it was Walden, who eventually forced 12 odd-points from his opponent and with it a chance to claim the match.
The 28-year-old Ricky Walden has now set up a potential clash with the current world number one, John Higgins, in the last 16. Walden will have to produce a high standard game, as Higgins is playing on the top of his form and is also among the tournament
favourites.
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