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Stuart Bingham won the 2015 World Championship final, beating Shaun Murphy 18-15 at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre on Monday to take snooker’s most prestigious title for the first time in his 20-year professional career.
This all-English clash was a see-saw affair, with Bingham resuming Monday 9-8 behind, having been 3-0 and 8-4 down at various stages of Sunday’s opening day in this best of 35-frame contest.
But the first-time finalist won Monday’s opening session 6-2 to establish a 14-11 lead.

Bingham edged further ahead at 15-12 before Murphy, world champion in 2005, fought back to level at 15-15.
The 38-year-old Bingham, who earlier in the tournament knocked out five-times world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, then won a marathon 64-minute frame to edge closer to the title before a break of 65 took him to within touching distance at 17-15 in front.
Bingham, from Basildon, east of London, then completed his victory in fine style with a break of 88 to become the oldest player to lift the world championship trophy since Welsh great Ray Reardon won the 1978 final aged 45.

“At one stage at 15-15 I thought I was going to do Shaun’s [runner-up] speech,” Bingham told the BBC.
“Twenty years as professional, blood sweat and tears on the road. Qualifying in places like Prestatyn and Malvern ... It is unbelievable.”
Meanwhile, Murphy took his defeat in sporting fashion, saying: “I gave it my best and came up against an inspired Stuart Bingham.
“Sometimes your name is on the trophy. As a snooker geek like Stuart, there is not a player alive who deserves it more than him.”
Bingham was a 50/1 outsider. Fifteen years ago he caused a major upset by knocking out defending champion Stephen Hendry but for five successive years, starting in 2003, he didn’t even qualify for the World Championship.
It wasn’t until he was 35 that Bingham won the first ranking title of his career, the 2011 Australian Goldfields Open, and he had to wait a further three years for his second, the Shanghai Masters.


50/1 outsider Stuart Bingham crowned snooker world champion

Stuart Bingham celebrates with the trophy as confetti falls. Photo: AFP

Stuart Bingham and his boy are interviewed by the BBC. Photo: Xinhua

Stuart Bingham with the trophy. Photo: Xinhua

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Journeyman wins top prize after 20 years of hard slog


Stuart Bingham won the 2015 World Championship final, beating Shaun Murphy 18-15 at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre on Monday to take snooker’s most prestigious title for the first time in his 20-year professional career
