Ricky Walden fights back to beat Shaun Murphy in deciding frame to reach semi-finals of Northern Ireland Open
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Updated 15/10/2021 at 23:11 GMT
Judd Trump's grip on the Northern Ireland Open is over following the 2018, 2019 and 2020 winner's loss to Mark Allen in the quarter-final stage. Allen is the home favourite, but he will have to overcome Ricky Walden in the semi-finals following his win in the last eight at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Friday.
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Ricky Walden fought back from 3-1 down to shock Shaun Murphy and book his place in the semi-finals of the Northern Ireland Open.
Murphy hit two tons in the match, but saw Walden find his stride after the interval at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Walden, who produced some good snooker last term without turning the positive play into tangible success, made a slow to start but settled as the match wore on and was deserving of setting up a meeting with Mark Allen.
Murphy's opening ton was taken in superb style, but he was handed a chance by Walden in the second.
Walden came into the match on the back of a late-night finish against Jackson Page, and he took some time to settle.
He created a chance in the second with an excellent safety, but missed a makeable red and Murphy stepped in to double his lead.
On what was his first taste of the main table this week, Walden steadied the ship with an 81 to take the third but he found trouble in the fourth.
He coughed up 16 points in penalties, but worse was to come as when he extricated himself from the snooker, Walden left the table open for Murphy who hoovered up a second century of the contest.
Walden required a response after the mid-session internal and he delivered by taking the fifth frame in a single visit. He followed up that 98 with a break of 84 to draw level.
Murphy was kept chilly in his chair for two frames by Walden, and the fluency in his game ebbed away.
He missed a red when bridging over balls, and Walden stepped in with a break of 70 to move ahead for the first time in the contest.
Walden had a chance to secure victory in the eighth frame, but missed a black into the right corner. With the balls well split, Murphy cashed in with a break of 82 to force a decider.
Deciding frames are often cagey affairs, and we had the drama of a re-rack - with reds at the baulk end of the table.
Both had chances, with Murphy making the telling mistake when missing a blue in his attempt to open the reds.
His success in splitting the pack proved to be Murphy’s downfall, as Walden got in and a break of 91 was enough to book his first appearance in a semi-final since his run to the final of the China Open in 2016.
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