Australian Goldfields Open 2012 - Barry Hawkins Downed Ebdon To Victory

Australian Goldfields Open 2012 - Barry Hawkins downed Peter Ebdon in the final by 9-3 to capture his first ranking title. 

Barry Hawkins downed Peter Ebdon

The Shoot-out Champion beaten likes of Matthew Stevens and Mark Davis en route to make his first ranking final while convincing Peter Ebdon edged out top players Ding Junhui, Shaun Murphy and Marco Fu to reach his second final this year, after China Open in April.

Ebdon who was chasing for his tenth ranking title found himself 1-4 down to Hawkins as his opponent made breaks of 57, 74, 106 and 116. The 2002 World Champion reduced the gap to 3-5 by winning two frames out of the three in the first session. 

However, Hawkins showed no signs of nerve. The 33-year-old did not let any frame slipped during the night session, winning four frames required with 133, 74 and 51 to win his first ranking title. He pocketed a cheque of  73000 for winner's and highest break prize. 

Barry Hawkins

"Winning my first ranking event feels quite strange," said Hawkins, one of the circuit's most popular players. "I don't think it has sunk in yet, I feel quite calm. It'll probably sink in more when I get home and see the family. I'm delighted obviously and it could be a big moment in my career hopefully. I just can't believe it, I'm speechless.''

He added, "Even during the good times there's still doubt, you start questioning yourself thinking am I ever going to win a big tournament. I've come close quite a few times but that was quite a few years ago now, and I hadn't reached a quarter-final for a while so obviously the confidence was lacking a little bit. I've been working with Terry Griffiths, just like Mark Davis, for the last year or so and I won the Shoot-Out since I started working with him, I don't know if it was a coincidence or not. But now I've won this so obviously I'm doing something right. Fingers crossed that it isn't the last one.''

Peter Ebdon, the runner-up

The runner-up expressed his disappointment, "I didn't have a very good day at all today, nothing really went for me and I really struggled out there today in all departments and it's very disappointing. It's not often that would happen to me in a final but every credit to Barry, I thought he played really, really well. His all-round game was very good, he scored very heavily, his long-game was good, touch, feel, cue ball control, it was all there today.''

Wuxi Classic 2012 - Ricky Walden Crowned In China Again

Wuxi Classic 2012: Ricky Walden won his second ranking title at Wuxi, China by beating Stuart Bingham 10-4 in the final. 

Ricky Walden won his second ranking title at Wuxi

The man from Chester, as a player outside top 16 unexpectedly beaten Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final to win his first ranking title at Shanghai in 2008.  Four years later, Walden repeated the myth again to win his second ranking title. He collected a cheque for 75000 pounds as prize money. 


Walden fought back from unfavourable situation in the first two frames of the final. He built up a healthy 4-0 lead over Bingham at mid interval session. The Ballrun, Stuart Bingham won his first frame in the final with a maximum break to trail 1-5. It was the third maximum of his career. He earned 7000 pounds for the break.

Stuart Bingham celebrated after making his third maximum break

However, the maximum break did not help Bingham to raise his form. Instead, Walden extended his lead to 9-1 with 73 and 56, leaving only one frame away from victory. The Essex cueman did not give up, making 103 and 100 to reduce the deficit to 4-9. Walden held himself to win the title with a break of 74  in the 14th frame. 


"I'm over the moon to win the event," said Walden. "I think the first two frames were massive. The first frame, I felt like I hadn't settled down and Stuart seemed to be getting the upper hand. When he missed and let me in I managed to get a couple of snookers to put the pressure back on. I think it sets the tone for the rest of the match and I took advantage of a few of his mistakes, potted a few big balls in the opening five or six frames and I managed to keep a decent lead.''

Ricky Walden

Walden had a blinking start for the season. "I'm just looking forward to playing, I'm enjoying my snooker at the moment. It's such a full calendar that you know that if you have a bad result one week you can have a good go the next week and try to redeem the result. I've not got any targets, I just want to keep enjoying my snooker, travelling to as many tournaments as I can just play well, like I've started to this week."


The runner-up, also winner of first APTC expressed his disappointment, "Obviously I'm a bit disappointed, I've had 15 or so unbeaten and today it just didn't happen. I think it was just a bad day at the office. Some consolation was the 147. It's always nice to make a 147, especially in a final. I've been told it's only the third one in a final so it's some history.'' Still, it is not bad for Bingham to start his road for defending his title of Australian Open next week.