STUART Bingham’s Champion of Champions dream is over after he lost a 3-1 lead to lose against 17-year-old Zhou Yeulong.
The 39-year-old was an overwhelming favourite to take part in last night’s final against either Judd Trump or Kyren Wilson but it was not to be, after he lost 4-3 to the Chinese player.
Bingham opened the tournament at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena yesterday, and started poorly as a break of 68 saw him lose the first frame.
But three consecutive frames, including a break of 55, put him on the brink of victory.
But Zhou held his nerve to level the match and recorded a break of 62 to close out the match against the world champion.
“I have been 3-1 up a few times in PTC events, against John Higgins and Fergal O’Brien and the same thing has happened,” Bingham told World Snooker. “I played one bad frame there where I let him have a chance but in the last frame he pulled out a cracking red and made a good 62.
“I am getting on the wrong side of deciders at the moment. I was thinking about it at 3-1. I had a chance, went into the pack and didn’t land on anything so played a safety shot and he has potted a good long red.
“What Zhou did in the last frame just shows you what a great talent he is. He is 17 and him and Yan Bingtao won the World Cup, so he is rightly here. He produced when he needed to.”
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