Ricky Walden had to pull out of the German Masters at the last minute due to health reasons.

Three-time ranking event champion unable to continue competing.

January 30th 2025.

Ricky Walden had to pull out of the German Masters at the last minute due to health reasons.
Unfortunately, Ricky Walden has had to withdraw from the German Masters just before his match against Barry Hawkins in the last 16. The reason for his withdrawal was due to medical concerns, which were confirmed by a statement from the World Snooker Tour. It's a disappointing turn of events for the 42-year-old, who was looking forward to facing off against the Hawk on Thursday morning at the Tempodrom.

The news of Walden's withdrawal was first shared by Rolf Kalb, a legendary figure in German snooker, on social media. He expressed his disappointment, stating that Walden had been taken to the hospital the previous night and was unable to continue in the tournament. The specific details of his medical issue have not been disclosed, but it's clear that it was a serious enough matter for him to have to withdraw from such an important match.

It's a shame for Walden, who hasn't made it to a quarter-final since the 2023 Northern Ireland Open. He had been playing well in Berlin, with wins over Ryan Day and Dylan Emery, and had shown good form at the Championship League last week. In fact, he had defeated some tough opponents like Xiao Guodong, Zhou Yuelong, and Dave Gilbert, among others. So, his withdrawal would not have been an easy decision to make, especially knowing he had a chance to make it to the quarter-finals.

With Walden out of the picture, Hawkins will receive a bye to the quarter-finals. This means he will face either Wu Yize or Alexander Ursenbacher, who will now have the Tempodrom to themselves on Thursday morning due to the schedule change. The afternoon session will feature matches between Elliot Slessor and Xiao Guodong, Anthony McGill and Zhang Anda, and a rematch of last year's World Championship final between Kyren Wilson and Jak Jones.

Speaking of Wilson, he's already made it to the last 16 after defeating Zhou Yuelong on Wednesday. Looking ahead to his next match, he reflected on his previous encounter with Jones at the Crucible last year. He acknowledged that Jones had put up a strong fight and forced him to play his best game to secure the win. However, he also mentioned that he has made progress since then and feels confident going into this upcoming match.

It's clear that the German Masters has been eventful so far, with unexpected developments like Walden's withdrawal. But the show must go on, and the remaining players are ready to put on a great performance for the fans. So, let's sit back, relax, and enjoy some exciting snooker matches in Berlin.

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