Stuart Bingham’s dramatic capture of the Australian Goldfields Open title was the fulfilment of years of effort and dedication to the game.
A professional for 16 years, ‘Ballrun’ Bingham has always shown snooker every respect, entering tournaments big and small wherever he can find them.
He has enthusiastically embraced the new opportunities that exist under Barry Hearn and has seen only positives where several others look only for negatives.
He got his reward today and it is well deserved for a well liked professional in every sense of the word.
Level at 4-4 at halfway, Bingham looked edgy at the start of the evening session as Mark Williams began to take control.
At 8-5 down and snookered on the last red, it looked over but Bingham enjoyed a huge slice of luck – fluking a snooker back – and it effectively turned the match.
Reprieved, he produced some brilliant snooker to draw level at 8-8. The decider was full of tension, with chances on both sides until Bingham got over the line.
You could see what it meant to him afterwards. I hope the champagne is flowing freely in Bendigo as I write this.
And Stuart should perhaps send a glass over in the direction of Mark Allen, because there’s no doubt that the Northern Irishman’s ungracious comments had an effect, whether consciously or not, and spurred Bingham on.
He proved that when the pressure was on he isn’t a bottler. How sweet this day must be for him.
It also gives hope to those many professionals who have spent a long time as part of the sport’s supporting cast, dreaming of one day playing a leading role.
Bingham has proved it can be done if you believe in yourself and produce the goods on the day.
Well done to him. He deserves to enjoy his moment in the sun.
The terrific final brought the curtain down on a hugely successful week, supported by large and appreciative crowds.
The Australian Open is another winner: gimmick free, it proved that tournament snooker is still a big draw.
As Williams graciously said afterwards, long may the game return to Australia, where the snooker public in this long neglected outpost played their full part in making it a memorable week.
36 comments:
would be good if some internet wizard made up a picture of mark allen with egg on his face
go big stu. the ballrun
Very well said Dave. Particularly the 'gimmick free' bit. It's great to see a hard working player win a big event. Which is undoubtedly is.
Perhaps Mark Allen can watch the last 4 frames of the final then he will see a true representation of what the word "bottle" means.He should think before opening his trap again.
Thanks Dave - 'this undoubtedlydlyboubtedly is.'
:)
Ha Mark allen i think the only bottler is you.Sturat bingham proved he isnt a bottler as he done to mark williams number 1 in the world what Ding done to him in the world championship..Ive only ever seen higgins beat williams like this..I mean who else out there has done this
Good for him! This tournament should have an interesting effect on the rankings with Doherty and Bingham unexpectedly flying up.
1 swallow doesnt make a summer
he chokes 99 % of times today he showed bottle for once
this match is the exception to the rule
the ding match at crucible is the real bingham IMO
Is 9.24pm mark allen by any chance ?.
Great performance from Bingham from 3 down with 4 to play, to win 9-8.
Thoughts of course, of the 1 year anniversary of Alex Higgins's passing. After watching that final, ive been watching old video's of him and writing on my my Higgins tribute Facebook page. I thought You're own words of tribute, in the commentary box, during the final were VERY fitting David.
Is it me or has The Snooker Forum gone way, way down hill? How come your blog posts dont get on there anymore Dave?
9.16. Hardly has any effect on the rankings. Due to World snookers ranking system, this tournament is less than China and the uk events. Makes it easier for ronnie to stay at home if overseas events are low ranked.
One question: How many major ranking titles has Mark Allen won?...:D
"The Australian Open is another winner: gimmick free, it proved that tournament snooker is still a big draw."
100% agree, nice comment Dave!
Is 9.24pm Mark Allen? Lol
mark allen was online last night....
The Australian Open has been fantastic, and I'm so pleased for Bingham, after losing 13-12 from being 12-9 up at the Crucible, which would have got him into the top 16, to come back and win his first ranking event. He definitely showed Mark Allen he has the bottle, and has done something Allen has never done, win an event.
Also it is the 2nd qualifier in 3 ranking events to win, it shows how hard it is now with the standard improving all the time.a qualifier hadnt won a ranker in six years now 2 come together it really is like buses.
Understand you may not want to answer this as you seem to get on with Stuart, but do you think there was any validity in Allen's originals comments about Bingham not being proficient under pressure?
I think he worded it harshly but the only reason I can think why Bingham has struggled to make the top sixteen has been the pressure getting to him, as his talent has been there to be a top-16 player.
Although Bingham was technically top 16 coming into Aus. I guess we'll probably see a lot of that now, with seedings no longer matching rankings.
Jamie - every player has suffered from pressure at some point, Mark Allen and Stuart Bingham included
But both has also won their fair share of deciders
I think it was more stagefright in Bingham's case, he seems to do ok in the qualifiers, qualifying for most events. He definitely bottled it at the Crucible but that experience seems to have strengthened his resolve.
Anyway, hope no action is taken against Allen. He did himself no favours but he may have done snooker one. The Aus Open has brought Hann back into memory this week, and Alex Higgins too with it being the anniversary of his death, and snooker definitely needs a bad boy.
Well done to Stuart Bingham, great comeback and gave the tournament what it deserved, a grandstand finish.
I was supporting Williams as I think only Ronnie is more entertaining in full flight. He seems to get into a mood where no matter how out of position he gets, if it's pottable he'll go for it, and usually gets it too! I've only been watching snooker for about 6 years, so never really saw williams when he was winning the world champs, was that his style back then?
Next year I think world snooker should seriously think about getting some of the players to put on an exhibition, as there is a lot of younger aussies who don't really what's possible on a snooker table.
Everyone here plays pool, and usually it's mixed with plenty of alcohol. Most people only know snooker as "the big table" and is seen as a bit of a snobish game. I think a televised exhibition could only help change this perception.
Anyway looking forward to next year!
Williams at his best probably played the game better than anyone; potted like O'Sullivan, killed a frame off like Hendry, and had the tactical ability of Steve Davis. In 2003 after the Grand Prix he looked indestructable, but as it turned out that was the end. He seems to have lost that ability to kill off the match, having lost a few recently he should have won i.e. UK final, WC semi and Aus. Personally speaking I think he was a better player at his best than John Higgins was, but he just didn't sustain the form for whatever reason like Higgins did.
Good point 2.49pm, you talk a lot of sense.
did anyone think williams was a bit cheeky with the australian presenter afterwards??i personally did , i could notice williams getting frustrated but from what i gather the Australians were just very interested in the game and its psycholigal tactics???
no 559
the interviewer had set questions
unfortunately for him mjw answered his follow up questions in his first answer.
the interviewer failed to see this (or ignored it) and jus asked it anyway.
mark had a joke about it and yet the guy continued to ask him to explain what hed already explained (when he answered the first question)
Have any of you beat ronnie in a world championship match.
dont think so
Bingham has no bottle 1 fluke tournament doenst change that.
Keep taking the tablets but half the dose 9:51PM.
I think that Stuart Bingham deserves serious credit for winning his first ranking event, particularly given the circumstances under which he triumphed. He had to contend with (a) the current best player in the world, (b) a three frame deficit, with no room for mistakes, (c) the "reputation" for being a bottler under pressure. To have won against those odds counts for an awful lot. Maybe it will be his only tournament victory but that's irrelevant - he still won and deserves praise for that. If Mark Allen wants to redeem himself and show that he has some class as an individual then he will publicly, and without qualification, congratulate Stuart on his win. Anything else is sour grapes and a distinct lack of class.
9.51 Maybe Bingham doesn't have any bottle, but he has beaten Ronnie in the UK and beaten Hendry at Sheffield. Let's remember the insults came from Allen not Bingham, nobody is saying Allen doesn't have any bottle just no ranking titles!
some players will get reputation of suffering under pressure and bottle it.
but if you look through the history of the sport some high profile greats has scummed from a big lead.
Did Steve Davis Bottle it in 1985 ?
Did Ronnie bottle the masters final against Selby ?
losing from a big lead isn't bottling.
Bottling is instead of going for the throat, playing it safe and defending a lead to the point you get ultra negative.
8:12am - he already did on Twitter
12.24pm
Well fair play to him then. I would have expected him to at least make that gesture. Maybe the lesson for Allen is to stay quiet about other players and focus on his own performance in future.
Obviously your response is correct as all players have been susceptible to nerves and other times conquered them.
However, there are some players who are more liable to struggling when the pressure increases. I am not keen on the word bottler, but feel it is still fair to say some players are fragile under pressure.
For example, Michael Holt, Willie Thorne, Tony Drago and Stuart Bingham have not fulfilled their talent for that reason. As some players with no more talent or even less have gone on to do more. The only conclusion I can draw is that the enormity of certain situations get to them more than others.
jamie
and there was others that thrived on pressure.
The biggest bottler I ever saw is Matthew Stevens. I always bet on his opponent when Stevens takes a big lead. The guy is in a league of his own.
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