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Masters final report and score: Stuart Bingham beats Ali Carter 10-8

By Richard Mann

Snooker

Mon January 20, 2020 · 5y ago

Stuart Bingham produced a stunning comeback to beat Ali Carter 10-8 in an absorbing Masters final at Alexandra Palace.

Having began the evening session with a 5-3 advantage, Bingham found himself on the ropes in the face of a lightning start from Carter which saw him reel off the first four frames of the night before Bingham fought back with a dazzling display to seal victory.

If Carter had felt aggrieved having not enjoyed the rub of the green in the afternoon, he didn't show it, quickly taking control of the evening session by surging into a 7-5 lead before the mid-session interval turned the match on its head, allowing Bingham the chance to compose himself before he returned to the arena to compile breaks of 64, 85, 58, 88 and a fabulous match-winning run of 109 in frame 18.

Having levelled the scores at 5-5 by edging frames nine and ten, Carter then powered into the ascendancy thanks to break of 95 and a total clearance of 133 that had suggested it was his name written on the trophy.

As it was, Bingham saved his best until last, winning the first frame after the mini-session before punishing Carter when he missed a simple pink to middle in frame 14, a break of 85 drawing him level and setting him on the path to victory.

When he added the next two frames with more flawless break building, Bingham found himself 9-7 ahead and on the cusp of victory but Carter had one final punch to throw, a gutsy hand of 77 keeping his hopes alive before Bingham finished the match in grand style, a nerveless 109 his first century of a match he will never forget.

Bingham told BBC Sport afterwards: "The way he [Ali] came out, I was thinking what to say when I was beaten.

"I haven't got a clue where that came from. I've had about nine hours' sleep in the last two days and every time he was scoring I was sitting in my chair thinking, 'this is getting really comfy'."

Carter added: "I've turned up here and done better than what I expected. There are a lot of positives for me to take - I've got to say all the right things but I'm gutted."

Bingham edges first session

In an afternoon session a long way from the dazzling display Judd Trump produced en route to victory in this event 12 months ago, both players were guilty of a number of unforced errors and frames six and eight, both of which Bingham won, went a long way to ensuring it was he would be first to the winning line at the end of the night.

With a first Masters title the prize for both players, it was no surprise to see the match struggle to find any real rhythm or fluency though Carter initially belied the magnitude of the occasion when opening up with a sublime 126, his first century of the week.

Bingham took little time to respond, hitting straight back with a break of 75 to get his first frame on the board and when he got the better of a nervy third frame, he appeared the more comfortable of the two.

However, a simple missed black ended his hopes of extending his lead to 3-1 and Carter was quick to punish the mistake, stepping in with a break of 56 to ensure the scores were all-square at the mid-session interval.

When play resumed, Carter was again fastest out of the traps and a classy run of 93 put him back in front before disaster struck in a sixth frame that both players would have been frustrated to lose.

In the end it was Carter who was left to stew in his chair, Bingham enjoying a couple of handy slices of good fortune before Carter left the final black hanging over the green pocket to allow his opponent to level the scores more.

It was a body blow that clearly left its mark on Carter, the two-time World Championship runner-up looking increasingly ragged as Bingham added a break of 50 in frame seven to put himself back in the ascendancy.

The eighth and final frame of the afternoon followed a similar pattern to those to have come before, both players being afforded and squandering good chances in between long periods of fine safety play.

With just the colours remaining, Carter would have been hopeful of pegging Bingham back but lady luck was to shine on the latter once again, an outrageous fluked yellow when the frame was firmly in the balance ensuring he finished the afternoon session with a two-frame advantage, a lead he still held when finally getting his hands on the trophy a few hours later.

Shot of the tournament contenders

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Watch the London Masters LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with analysis from Ronnie O'Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.

Tournament schedule and round-by-round results

All matches up to and including semi-finals best of 11; final best of 19

ROUND ONE

Sunday 12 January
Afternoon Session (1300 - BBC/Eurosport)

Ding Junhui 3-6 Joe Perry