Snooker star Stuart Bingham furiously points cue at fan accused of messing up 147 shot
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Stuart Bingham suffered a dramatic exit from the UK Championship after squandering a commanding 5-1 lead against China's Zhang Anda in the second round at York's Barbican.
The former world champion's departure was marked by controversy, including a heated incident with a photographer during a potential 147 break and concerns over table conditions.
The 25th seed's elimination mirrors John Higgins' exit at the same stage, with Zhang's remarkable comeback setting up a quarter-final clash with world number one Judd Trump.
Bingham's frustration boiled over in the fifth frame when he missed the 14th black during a potential maximum break attempt.
Stuart Bingham was not happy with one member of the crowd
Eurosport
The 48-year-old could be seen glaring and muttering towards the crowd, even pointing his cue at spectators before banging it on his way back to his seat.
"It was a photographer. He ran in just before I was taking that shot. Photographers just seem to be my kryptonite," Bingham fumed after the match.
The incident occurred while he was leading 3-1, with his break standing at 105 points when the disruption led to the crucial miss.
The drama intensified when Steve Davis called for immediate action from tournament officials after Bingham's shot mysteriously curved off line during the eighth frame.
After potting the first red, Bingham attempted a safety shot behind the yellow, only to watch in dismay as the ball deviated from its path.
"This table needs to be re-levelled if that's happening," Davis declared on BBC commentary. "It's two slate lines that Stuart Bingham has not been happy with. Definitely rolled off line."
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Fellow commentator John Parrott confirmed the issue: "When we were talking about the slate lines before, that is where it's at its worse."
Zhang Anda reflected on his remarkable comeback, saying: "It was a very tough game and for the first session I did nothing wrong. Just some safety play which was bad and Stuart took his chances."
The Chinese player showed resilience when facing the daunting 5-1 deficit. "At 5-1 down I tried everything to win.
"I tried everything to not let the pressure beat me," he said.
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Stuart Bingham was one shot away from hitting a 147 break
Eurosport
Zhang also expressed sympathy regarding Bingham's failed maximum attempt. "I was feeling nervous. But I feel a little bit disappointed for him," he commented.
The victory earned Zhang a quarter-final meeting with world number one Judd Trump, who had earlier defeated John Higgins in a four-hour epic.
The dramatic match capped off an unusual tournament for Bingham, who had earlier made headlines with what fans dubbed "the worst ever" break against Mark Williams.
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Stuart Bingham was furious with one fan in the crowd
Eurosport
In his first-round match, Bingham remarkably potted the black directly from his break-off shot at the start of the tenth frame.
The incident left Eurosport commentator Alan McManus stunned: "You think you've seen it all.
"I've never seen that before, ever. Potting the black off the break. That is incredible."
Despite these memorable moments, Bingham's tournament ultimately ended in disappointment as Zhang completed his stunning comeback to advance.
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