Neil Robertson produced an incredible double in the opening session of his World Grand Prix final against Stuart Bingham as he moved 8-0 ahead in Hong Kong
Neil Robertson put on a stellar performance as he delivered a crushing defeat to Stuart Bingham and secured snooker’s World Grand Prix title.
Former world champion Bingham found himself facing an embarrassing loss after falling 8-0 behind Robertson before the interval at the Kai Tak Arena on Sunday.
The situation only worsened as Robertson, 42, stormed to a 10-0 victory in Hong Kong, bagging the £180,000 prize. Bingham had previously caused an upset by defeating Judd Trump in the semi-finals, winning 6-3 against the current world No. 1.
However, it seemed the Basildon native may have exhausted his energy just as Robertson hit his stride in the Far East. The Australian racked up breaks of 87, 104, 71, 59, 72 and 78 in the final, demonstrating his superior skill while Bingham could only look on in admiration as he effortlessly cleared the table, reports the Express.
One particular moment encapsulated Robertson’s exceptional cue skills when he was trailing 44-18 in the fifth frame. He daringly aimed for a pot on the red, which was positioned in the middle of the bottom cushion, and the 43-year-old flawlessly executed a double off the baize as the ball glided towards the top-left pocket.
The shot garnered a massive applause from the audience, who were astounded by his remarkable play. While some might have considered it a stroke of luck, there seemed to be a calculated precision in his execution.
Bingham’s best break of the match came in the sixth frame with a score of 56, before he mistakenly sent the white back to the baulk. This proved to be a costly mistake as Robertson seized the opportunity to take a 6-0 lead.
It was the closest Bingham got to breaking his opponent’s consecutive frames streak.
The six-time title winner hadn’t reached the final of any tournament since the Gibraltar Open in 2019 where he triumphed over Ryan Day. Before that, he had previously lost to Robertson in the Welsh Open showdown in the same year.
He found it difficult to make an impact on Robertson, who was equally impressive in his 6-3 semi-final victory over Shaun Murphy.
Robertson needs only two more frames to secure the trophy and the lucrative prize in the best-of-19 contest, leaving Bingham with a mountain to climb to avoid a crushing defeat when they return to the table.