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Bingham masters Allen for Shanghai crown
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A RAMPANT Stuart Bingham won five frames in a row last night to beat Mark Allen 10-3 in the Shanghai Masters final, clinching his maiden Shanghai title as well as a 85,000-pound (US$138,250) check.
The Englishman rallied to stun local favorite Ding Junhui in Saturday’s semifinal at the Shanghai Grand Stage to set up a clash with Northern Ireland’s Allen, who beat world No. 1 and 2011 title winner Mark Selby of England in the other semi.
The 10-3 scoreline was also the most lopsided victory margin in a final during the Shanghai event’s eight-year history.
Bingham raced to a four-frame lead in the morning session of the final day with runs of 99, 46 and 68. Allen took frame five on the back of a 97, and edged Bingham in the next one 69-61.
The pair then exchanged frames with Bingham taking a 6-3 advantage into the afternoon session.
Far from disrupting his rhythm the enforced break seemed to add dimension to Bingham’s red-hot form and, on returning to action, he did not allow Allen a single frame, charging straight towards the four frames he needed to raise the Shanghai trophy.
Bingham entered yesterday’s final in supreme confidence after eliminating world No. 3 Ding in the earlier round and he won a second ranking tournament title after the 2011 Australian Goldfields Open.
“I have benefited from having 30 or so tournaments a year. This is my 20th season and I still enjoy traveling anywhere to play,” 38-year-old Bingham said before the final.
The highest break award went to England’s Barry Hawkins, who managed a 144 in his first-round clash against Mark Williams of Wales even though he ended up the loser.
The tournament began in heartbreaking manner for local fans, as a bunch of household names were eliminated in the first round, including Ronnie O’Sullivan, making his third appearance in the Shanghai tournament, and 2012 title winner John Higgins.
Other players who didn’t make the second round were world No. 2 Neil Robertson, Judd Trump and Marco Fu of China’s Hong Kong.
Defending champion Ding kept local hopes alive until the semifinals, where he came unstuck against an inspired Bingham. Ding blamed loss of concentration for the defeat, saying he “felt unconscious during the final few frames, and failed to keep my opponent under pressure.”
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