Stuart Bingham was crowned Premier League snooker champion after beating world number one Judd Trump 7-2 in Sunday's final.
Bingham, who was making his first appearance in the tournament this
season, showed no nerves as he dominated Trump to secure a deserved
success in Grimsby.
The Essex cueman made six breaks over 50 and one century to emerge victorious as Trump struggled to get going.
The left-hander did take the opening frame of the evening with a
break of 83, but Bingham hit straight back and levelled with an effort
of 82 which started with a superb long-range swerve-shot around the
green in baulk to pot the opening red.
He only missed out on a century when he failed with the fourth last
red to the centre pocket, but he duly obliged in the next with a
contribution of 100 exactly giving him a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth, a Bingham break of 31 came to an end after a poor
positional shot, but he returned to add a further 32 which left Trump
needing a snooker and the left-hander was finally forced to concede
after going in off the final red.
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Monday, 26 November 2012
Saturday, 24 November 2012
World snooker champion John Higgins intends to make a mark in Grimsby
FOUR-time world snooker champion John Higgins believes fate could be on his side as he bids for Premier League glory in Grimsby this weekend.
The Scottish cueman hopes to end a 13-year wait for his second Premier League title as the finals of the event head to the region for the first time.
But Higgins, who lifted the world crown last year, wouldn't be in the tournament but for perennial champion Ronnie O'Sullivan's decision to withdraw from competitive snooker this season.
Higgins got the nod to replace the 11-time Premier League winner and has duly made it through to the final-four showdown at Grimsby Auditorium.
The 37-year-old lines up alongside world number one Judd Trump, 2010 world champion Neil Robertson and former world amateur title winner Stuart Bingham – who is also his semi-final opponent.
"I was fortunate to get into the tournament this time," said Higgins, who won the Premier League in 1999. "Ronnie O'Sullivan pulled out and I was the next one that (promoter) Barry Hearn invited.
"I'd love to win it again, I've only won it once before.
"If I win it this time, perhaps I'll have to buy Ronnie a drink!
"It's funny, sometimes things like that can happen in sport.
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The Scottish cueman hopes to end a 13-year wait for his second Premier League title as the finals of the event head to the region for the first time.
But Higgins, who lifted the world crown last year, wouldn't be in the tournament but for perennial champion Ronnie O'Sullivan's decision to withdraw from competitive snooker this season.
Higgins got the nod to replace the 11-time Premier League winner and has duly made it through to the final-four showdown at Grimsby Auditorium.
The 37-year-old lines up alongside world number one Judd Trump, 2010 world champion Neil Robertson and former world amateur title winner Stuart Bingham – who is also his semi-final opponent.
"I was fortunate to get into the tournament this time," said Higgins, who won the Premier League in 1999. "Ronnie O'Sullivan pulled out and I was the next one that (promoter) Barry Hearn invited.
"I'd love to win it again, I've only won it once before.
"If I win it this time, perhaps I'll have to buy Ronnie a drink!
"It's funny, sometimes things like that can happen in sport.
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Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Jimmy White looses out in 2012 Snooker UK Qualifiers
Jimmy White's quest for a place in the UK Championship ended as he lost a final frame decider to Pankaj Advani.
Indian billiards star Advani, who beat Sam Baird 6-2 on
Tuesday, took the deciding frame to win 6-5 and deny fans the chance of
White playing old adversary Steve Davis at the last 64 stage of
snooker’s second biggest event.
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Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Snooker News Trump Wins In Sofia
Trump lost to Higgins in the final of the Shanghai Masters in
September and UKPTC4 last week, as well as the 2011 World Championship.
But the 23-year-old from Bristol finally broke the Wizard's spell with a
mesmerizing display at the end of the first ever professional
tournament in Bulgaria, part of the Betfair European Tour series.
In winning the recent International Championship in China, Trump climbed to number one in the world rankings, and on current form looks determined to become snooker's dominant force.
Breaks of 47 and 42 gave him the opening frame tonight and he took the second after Higgins crucially missed the third-last red along the top cushion when just six points behind.
Trump potted 11 reds with blacks in frame three, but when a maximum 147 beckoned, he missed the 12th red with the rest. But the left-hander barely minded as he wrapped up victory in the next frame with a run of 63.
"I have lost to John a few times recently so I really wanted to beat him," said Trump after capturing the 12,000 Euros top prize as well as 2,000 ranking points. "It was a great atmosphere tonight, the crowd were brilliant and I really felt as if I could play well.
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In winning the recent International Championship in China, Trump climbed to number one in the world rankings, and on current form looks determined to become snooker's dominant force.
Breaks of 47 and 42 gave him the opening frame tonight and he took the second after Higgins crucially missed the third-last red along the top cushion when just six points behind.
Trump potted 11 reds with blacks in frame three, but when a maximum 147 beckoned, he missed the 12th red with the rest. But the left-hander barely minded as he wrapped up victory in the next frame with a run of 63.
"I have lost to John a few times recently so I really wanted to beat him," said Trump after capturing the 12,000 Euros top prize as well as 2,000 ranking points. "It was a great atmosphere tonight, the crowd were brilliant and I really felt as if I could play well.
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Sunday, 18 November 2012
New management for Ronnie O'Sullivan
World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has joined a new management company just days after putting his snooker playing career on hold.
O'Sullivan, who has been managed by Romford-based Grove Snooker since 2007, announced on November 6 that he would skip the rest of the season and not defend his world title, in order to deal with personal issues.
Merlin Elite today said the 36-year-old Chigwell cueman has joined its roster "for full management".
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O'Sullivan, who has been managed by Romford-based Grove Snooker since 2007, announced on November 6 that he would skip the rest of the season and not defend his world title, in order to deal with personal issues.
Merlin Elite today said the 36-year-old Chigwell cueman has joined its roster "for full management".
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Robertson claims Premier League semi-final place
Former world champion Robertson looked to be on his way
out of the competition after falling 2-0 down to Ding in what was a
straight shoot-out for a place in the final four at Spennymoor Leisure
Centre.
But the Australian reeled off four games on the bounce to secure the runner's up spot in the group and set up a meeting with current world number one Judd Trump on November 24 in Grimsby.
Group B runner-up John Higgins will play Stuart Bingham, who topped Group A, in the other semi-final. The final is scheduled for the day after.
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