NEWBRIDGE’S Lee Walker caused the shock of the opening round at the BetVictor Welsh Open snooker as he knocked out world number three Ding Junhui this afternoon.

Walker stunned the Chinese superstar, who was runner-up in last year’s Welsh Open in Newport, and the crowd at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena with an unexpected 4-1 victory.

The 39-year-old, who reached the quarter-finals of the World Championship in 1997, is currently ranked 121st in the world compared to Ding in third place behind only Mark Selby and Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Walker, who has focused on coaching in recent years, returned to the professional tour after a six-year absence in 2014 as he won a two-year tour card be reaching the semi final stage of the second event of the 2014 Q School.

Former UK and Masters champion Ding, aged 27, who was beaten by Ronnie O’Sullivan in last year’s final, said: “I have had some bad luck this season, mainly the way people have played against me.

“Maybe I used it all up last season, and this is paying me back. Every player is playing out of their skin when they play me.

“They are raising their game, every match. It’s like when teams play the top football teams. It is different after last season; they are all keener to beat me.

“It was always going to be hard the season after the last one – but the way it is going there won’t be any pressure next season.

“I didn’t miss too many balls, he played very well. His ranking is not very true, he played like a top-32 player and has been ranked higher. I knew him when I first came over to England, he is a good player."

There were also first round wins for Wales’ Ryan Day, who beat Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham 4-1, and Michael White, who beat Ross Muir 4-1.

But Duane Jones lost 4-0 to former world champion Shaun Murphy, Daniel Wells was beaten 4-2 by Gerard Greene, Jamie Rhys Clarke went down 4-2 to Alan McManus and Cwmbran’s Jak Jones was whitewashed 4-0 by Martin Gould.

Walker's joy was shortlived, however, as he lost his second round match 4-2 to Michael Gerogiou tonight.

"I couldn't reproduce the form I displayed while defeating Ding Junhui," he said after his defeat.

"I missed a straight-forward pink at 2-2 and things didn't go my way after that."

Day was also beaten in round two, losing 4-1 to amateur Oliver Brown, but White did make it through to the third round with a 4-0 win over Chris Melling.

"There were still some silly mistakes, but I scored better and I thought I produced a decent performance," said the Neath man.

"For me the tournament starts now at the last 32 stage."

White has played his next opponent, Stuart Bingham, twice in non-ranking events with a win to each player.