Ryan Day won the first snooker tournament of the new season by beating Scotland’s Stephen Maguire 5-2 in the final of the Kaspersky Riga Masters.
To reach the final both players were involved in hard fought semi-final matches. Former UK champion Maguire beat Ireland’s Ken Doherty 5-4.
Day was involved in an equally tough match, defeating fellow Welshman and twice former world champion Mark Williams by the same score line of 5-4.
Earlier in the tournament, Neil Robertson who was the defending champion, lost in the first round to the first season professional Lukas Kleckers 4-3. The tournament also saw the ‘People’s Champion’ Jimmy White roll back the years and reach the last 16. The highest break of the tournament was made by former Welsh open finalist Andrew Higginson, a sensational break of 140.
The final was to be a special occasion not only for both player’s but also for referee Ben Williams who was officiating his first ever ranking event final.
An early finish appeared likely as Day, the number 11 seed, raced into a 4-0 lead stroking in breaks of 59 and 77. After the mid-session interval Maguire hit back superbly to avoid a whitewash by stroking in a magnificent break of 119. The Scotsman also won the next frame 77-0. The seventh frame was a closely fought affair but after a long safety battle Day clinched the frame and match with a 58 break and in the process won his first ever ranking event title.
Here is what Ryan had to say to dafasnooker.com reporters Curtis Braithwaite and Emma Maflin about winning his first ever ranking event title.