Snooker: Walden claims title in China

Ricky Walden beat fellow Englishman Stuart Bingham 10-4 in the final of the Wuxi Classic in China yesterday.

It was the Chester potter's second ranking event title, following the 2008 Shanghai Masters, and earned him a first prize of £75,000.

Walden raced into a 9-1 lead before Bingham mounted a mini- fightback to reduce the deficit to 9-4 with back-to-back century breaks. Bingham had struck a 147 in the sixth frame – his third in professional competition – becoming the only player other than Stephen Hendry and John Higgins to make a maximum in a ranking event final.

Bingham will now look to the next ranking event, in Australia, where he will be defending his title. But he will need to regain his confidence after effectively losing the Wuxi Classic in the first session of the final.