The Bagillt cueman looked in trouble early on against his Chinese opponent in the penultimate event of the season in Beijing.

But Walden fought back impressively to win the next four frames to record a 5-3 success.

The 25-year-old had a break of 107 in frame two and added runs of 84 and 104 after the interval.

Victory has secured Walden, whose best ranking performance came at the China Open in 2005 when he reached the quarter-finals, and now faces a first round clash against Masters champion Mark Selby tonight.

The winner of that best of nine frames match will face either Ronnie O'Sullivan or Marco Fu in the last 16 tomorrow evening.

Walden is hoping a decent run in the tournament will boost his chances of moving up the world rankings.

Provisionally ranked 38th in the world, Walden's season comes to an end in China as he has not qualified for the World Championships which are being held at The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, next month.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Ken Doherty insists he cannot "take anything for granted" at the China Open.

The former world champion, struggled for the first part of this season but then raised his game to reach the semi-finals of the SAGA Insurance Masters at Wembley and followed with a few more significant wins.

But the Irishman, a six-time ranking event winner, has slipped to a provisional 15th in the world rankings – and if he does not perform in China or at the World Championship in Sheffield next month, then he risks falling out of the top 16.

Doherty has been a member of that elite for 15 consecutive seasons, but the 38-year-old concedes it is "getting tougher and tougher" to stay at the top.

He said: "It's very important for me to play well in China. It would be nice to get some ranking points under my belt because that way I'll take the pressure off myself before the World Championship.

"I love it out here, I've had some good performances. I reached a semi-final and a final and you're always well received by the crowds, the Chinese love their snooker."

Doherty began his China Open campaign with a 5-2 first round win
against Cleveland cueman Mike Dunn yesterday.

Doherty pocketed a tournament high run of 140 in the opening frame against Dunn, but slipped 2-1 down after his opponent won a scrappy second frame and then knocked in a 91 run.

But breaks of 42, 40, 64 and 63 made sure Doherty made sure of his place in the last 16.

However, Graeme Dott's miserable season continued as the defending champion crashed out at the first hurdle.

The defending champion was hammered 5-1 by Englishman Barry Pinches.

And with the defeat Dott has now failed to win his last 15 matches, the worst run of his professional career.

"I don't know what's the matter with me, I'm just playing terrible at the moment," admitted Dott.

"For some reason I was just very bad. I wasn't tired, I just played rubbish.

"You are disappointed when you lose any game. I know I need to play better, especially at the World Championship."

Next up for the world number 56 is a meeting with Nigel Bond who recorded a battling 5-3 victory over Masters finalist Stephen Lee, while Glaswegian Stephen Maguire beat Dubliner Fergal O'Brien 5-3.

Stephen Hendry joined Scottish compatriot Dott as an early casualty in China.

The seven-times world champion was hammered 5-1 by Englishman Barry Hawkins.

And with defeat the Scot can only salvage a mediocre season by his high standards in next month's World Championship.

"I lost because Barry played better than me," reflected Hendry.

"I didn't get many chances after the first frame and he was the better player.

"This doesn't have any bearing on the World Championship, but it matters because I wanted to do well here. I'll have to wait until next year."

Hendry started well enough and won the opening frame thanks largely to an opening break of 41.

But from there on it was Hawkins who was in control as he reeled off the next five frames for victory and a last-16 meeting with Stephen Maguire.

With Hendry out there was also disappointment for crowd favourite Steve Davis who slipped to a 5-2 defeat at the hands of fellow Londoner Mark King.

Chinese favourite Ding Junhui is through to the last 16, but not without a real fight against Cambridgeshire cueman Joe Perry.

Ding emerged a 5-3 winner thanks to breaks of 62, 68 and 42, but Perry had his chances and pressured with runs of 62 and 47.

Ryan Day won the all-Welsh battle against compatriot Matthew Stevens, triumphing 5-3 in a high-quality encounter.