Ricky Walden ‘hoping to play’ Welsh Open qualifying despite German Masters health scare - ‘Fingers crossed’
ByOli Gent
Published 31/01/2025 at 18:45 GMT
Ricky Walden's agent has confirmed that The Stamina Man would like to take part in the qualifying rounds at the Welsh Open, despite suffering a serious health scare at the German Masters on Wednesday. Walden, the world No. 38, was taken to a Berlin hospital after suffering pancreatitis, not long after he had played through the pain barrier to beat Dylan Emery in the second round at the Tempodrom.
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Ricky Walden is "hoping to play" in the qualifying rounds of the Welsh Open after he suffered a health scare at the German Masters.
The 42-year-old was forced to hand Barry Hawkins a walkover in his third round match after he suffered a bout of pancreatitis that sent him to a hospital in Berlin overnight.
The world No. 38 remained in care on Thursday and Friday, but is expected to fly back home to England in order to undergo surgery, with his gall bladder needing to be removed.
The Stamina Man from Chester played through the pain barrier in his second-round encounter with Dylan Emery in the German capital, but was not in any fit state to face 13th seed Hawkins in the last 16.
Walden’s agent, Lee Gorton, has issued an update on the Englishman’s condition, saying that he hoped to get his client back on home soil quickly.
"Ricky had been feeling unwell for a couple of days," he told the Sun.
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"He played his game on Wednesday against Dylan Emery and was in quite a lot of pain during the game.
"We were hoping it would subside but it didn’t. We went back to the hotel and he started getting progressively worse.
"We took him to the emergency room in Berlin hospital. After about a six-hour wait, we decided to keep him in.
"Give him some fluids. He has pancreatitis. He has got a bit of an issue at the moment.
"He needs his gallbladder removed and that is in plan at home. This is a flare-up with the same condition.
"He may have a gallstone in the wrong place or whatever. He is going to be in hospital for a few days.
"We hope we can bring him home and then he will have the surgery."
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Incredibly, Gorton confirmed Walden’s desire to compete in the Welsh Open qualifiers, which begins on February 6 in Barnsley.
It remains to be seen whether Walden will be fit enough to take part, but Gorton seemed confident that he could make it to Yorkshire if he was in "good shape".
"Ricky has had a lot of people message him," Gorton continued.
"He’s had a lot of support and is really chuffed by it.
"He’s still hoping to play. If he comes back and is in good shape, then he will go to Welsh Open qualifying. Fingers crossed."
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