Snooker news - Stuart Bingham beats Mark Davis in nailbiting English Open final

In the all-English final between the two close friends, world number 45 Davis - chasing his first senior title since turning professional in 1991 - won the first frame despite a break of 51 from Bingham.

Bingham levelled at 1-1 with a 72 with the next two frames split to reach the mid-session interval at 2-2.

Bingham moved 3-2 clear only for Davis - a 6-1 winner over Ronnie O'Sullivan in the semi-finals - to restore parity at 3-3 with a timely 72.

2015 world champion Bingham produced 77 for a 4-3 advantage, but a blistering knock of 136 was good enough to see Davis restore parity at 4-4 going into the interval.

An absorbing final continued to enthral, with both men playing some terrific snooker punctuated by nervy mistakes in the evening session.

A break of 94 from Davis in the first frame back saw him regain the lead, but a mistake in the tenth frame late Bingham back in, who took advantage with a break of 78 - followed up with another of 73 as the lead once again changed hands.

A captivated capacity crowd at the K2 could barely take their eyes off the match as the clock continued to tick into the late evening hours, but Davis hit back again, taking the 12th frame before knocking in a break of 65 to move within two frames of the title at 7-6 up.

But again Bingham - banned for six months and fined £20,000 a year ago for betting on matches - hit back, as a break of 82 made it all square with three frames remaining.

Bingham, ranked 14th going into the tournament, showed his class to move within a frame of victory thanks to a classy century break in the 15th frame.

And the 42-year-old had the chance to leave Davis leaving a snooker to keep the match alive in the 16th frame, only to see a relatively simple red wobble in the jaws and stay out.

A tactically fascinating period of play ensued, with Davis missing a black to leave him needing a snooker to stay in with a chance of winning his first ever ranking title.

But Bingham held his nerve with a series of well-placed safety shots before potting a long red to secure the title before breaking down in tears afterwards as he realised the magnitude of his success.