Most Chinese citizens are not acquainted with David and Goliath but those present for Ricky Walden's triumph in the Shanghai Masters yesterday witnessed an upset that mirrored the biblical story for its unexpected outcome.

Walden, the world No35, beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-8 to collect the £52,000 first prize, a sum that more than quadruples his previous biggest pay day in seven years as a professional. He is the lowest-ranked player to overcome O'Sullivan in a ranking tournament final.

“What can you say about a result and a week like this?” Walden, a lanky 25-year-old who lives in Flintshire, North Wales, but considers himself English, said. “It's been a dream. For three years now I've been coming to events knowing I can win them and I've proved myself right.”

O'Sullivan, who won the 888.com World Championship in May and the Northern Ireland Trophy in August, was an overwhelming favourite to become the first player since Stephen Hendry in 1993 to win three world-ranking tournaments in succession. The sport's dominant player was also infused with confidence after beating Stephen Maguire 6-5 in the semi-

finals thanks to a 145 total clearance in the deciding frame. However, Walden, a qualifier, refused to accept what many believed was inevitable.

With O'Sullivan helping Walden's cause by committing several key errors during the match, the plucky outsider recovered from 5-4 down, after the first session, to lead 9-7 but his failure to pot a straightforward red to a middle pocket in the seventeenth frame illustrated the pressure he was feeling. There was no mistake in the next frame, though, as Walden completed a break of 105.

Having eliminated Hendry, Neil Robertson, Steve Davis and Mark Selby en route to the final, Walden's win over O'Sullivan meant that he had beaten five players with 88 world ranking event wins between them.

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