BINGTAO MASTERS BINGHAM

CHINESE star Yan Bingtao sprung a huge upset to end Stuart Bingham’s Masters title defence.

Debutant Bingtao, 20, battled back from 3-1 and

4-2 down to win 6-5 in a gripping semi-final at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.

He will meet either double Masters champion John Higgins or David Gilbert in today’s final.

“Today I played really well, I made so many excellent long pots,” said Bingtao. “It’s such a big tournament, hopefully I can win the title.”

Bingtao, pocketed breaks of 94 and 62 but still trailed by two frames at the interval. Former world champion Bingham edged

4-2 ahead but Bingtao – nicknamed the ‘Tiger from China – clawed back three frames on the spin to edge within one frame of victory.

Bingham forced the decider but Bingtao held his nerve to make a match-winning 65 break.

“I’m gutted,” said Bingham. “From 4-2 I think I missed two balls, but he played really well.”