Ding Junhui and Neil Robertson suffer shock defeats in China

ByEurosport

Updated 28/03/2016 at 22:07 GMT

Ding Junhui must wait to find out if he will have to qualify for next month's World Championship after suffering a 5-1 loss to Lee Walker in the final round of qualifying in Beijing.

In a match held over to the venue to accommodate one of China's most popular sportsmen, world number 16 Ding - twice a winner of the event in 2005 and 2014 - was ousted by a figure who is ranked 60 places below him at number 76.

Ding will have to negotiate three qualifying rounds to reach the World Championship if Stephen Maguire or Kyren Wilson reach the last four of the final ranking tournament before the sport's biggest event begins in Sheffield on April 16.

Maguire lamented the standard of his play despite completing a 5-3 first-round win over Gary Wilson, last year's finalist at the tournament.

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“Both of us were rubbish,” said Maguire. “I don’t take much confidence from that.”

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Ding reached the Players Championship quarter-finals last week, and looked edgy throughout the defeat to Walker despite rolling in a break of 136 in the fourth frame.

Walker progressed making only a highest run of 88, and could not believe his good fortune when Ding missed a mid-range pink off its spot when he appeared likely to close to 4-2.

Walker duly ran in the pink to seal the win.

"I played well and Ding was under a bit of pressure because of the top 16 situation and the fact that everyone expects him to do well here," said the Welshman.

Ding crashes out of China Open after awful miss

I beat him in the Welsh Open last season, he’s a brilliant player, but if I play well I can beat anyone.

"If Ding does have to qualify for the Crucible then no one will want to play him. I’m sure he’ll be back winning tournaments soon.”

World number three Neil Robertson suffered a 5-3 defeat to Noppon Saengkham of Thailand in a high-quality match.

Robertson made to two breaks of 106 to restore parity at 3-3 having trailed 3-3 only to see Saengkham finish matters off with breaks of 70 and 80.

World champion Stuart Bingham was 5-0 winner against Cao Yupeng with John Higgins coming through courtesy of a 5-2 success against Zhou Yuelong.

China Open latest results

Monday March 28

Final qualifying Round (best of nine frames)

Liang Wenbo (Chn) 2-5 Peter Lines (Eng)

Stuart Bingham (Eng) 5-0 Cao Yupeng (Chn)

Ding Junhui (Chn) 1-5 Lee Walker (Wal)

Wildcard Round (best of nine frames)

Andrew Higginson (Eng) 3-5 Yuan Sijun (Chn)

Martin O'Donnell (Eng) 5-0 Wang Yuchen (Chn)

Ian Burns (Eng) 5-3 Guan Zhen (Chn)

Tian Pengfei (Chn) 5-1 Niu Zhuang (Chn)

First Round (best of nine frames)

Jamie Jones (Wal) 1-5 Dominic Dale (Wal)

Michael White (Wal) 1-5 Jack Lisowski (Eng)

Robert Milkins (Eng) 5-4 Ross Muir (Sco)

Graeme Dott (Sco) 5-1 Matthew Stevens (Wal)

Gerard Greene (NI) 1-5 David Gilbert (Eng)

Stephen Maguire (Sco) 5-3 Gary Wilson (Eng)

Alfie Burden (Eng) 5-0 Joe Perry (Eng)

Neil Robertson (Aus) 3-5 Noppon Saengkham (Tha)

Zhou Yuelong (Chn) 2-5 John Higgins (Sco)

Mike Dunn (Eng) 5-4 Alan McManus (Sco)

Rory McLeod (Eng) 5-0 Mitchell Mann (Eng)

Chris Wakelin (Eng) 4-5 Matthew Selt (Eng)

Mark Joyce (Eng) 5-2 Luca Brecel (Bel)

Michael Holt (Eng) 5-2 Nigel Bond (Eng)

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