Snooker star fights back tears after two tragic deaths before heavy final defeat

Snooker star Stuart Bingham paid an emotional tribute to his longtime coach and uncle after revealing they had both passed away ahead of the World Grand Prix final

Stuart Bingham struggled to fight back tears as he revealed that two people close to him tragically passed away before the World Grand Prix final.

Bingham was whitewashed 10-0 by Neil Robertson in Hong Kong and paid an emotional tribute to his long-time coach Joe Lazarus and his uncle Ray after they both passed away the week of the final.

He also gave a shout-out to fellow snooker player Jack Lisowski, who pulled out of the World Grand Prix after the death of his father. Bingham said: “My goal was to get to the final, if someone had said I’d get to the final and get beat 10-0, I’d have maybe gone ‘Nah. Let me have a frame!’

“The final was a big match for me. It’s been a good week on the table for me. But I’d like to give a shout out to Jack Lisowski, feeling for you mate, my friend Lee Fairbrother, feel for all of you.

“My local coach Joe Lazarus passed away this week and my uncle Ray passed away this morning, so it ain’t been a good week off the table. Shout out to them guys. But have to take the positives, Telford in a weeks’ time and I’ve got that. I want Neil in the draw, he ain’t going to be beat me 10-0 again!”

Bingham had to stop talking and compose himself during the interview, with the crowd at the Kai Tak Arena showing their support with a round of applause. The final was Bingham’s first at a ranking event in six years and he also hailed Robertson’s “unbelievable” performance.

“It’s hard at the moment,” he added. “But hats off to Neil, who took every chance today and had a little bit of a run at the right time. I had my chances and it could’ve easily been 5-5 if I took my chances.

“But Neil had some unbelievable clearances and the writing was on the wall when he went 8-0. I had always had that belief I could do something, but today it just wasn’t happening.”

Robertson, meanwhile, said: “[It’s] for all the hard work I’ve been putting in over the last 18 months, I knew some big results were around the corner. And it’s proved to be the case this season,” Robertson said. “This week, I was hoping to win one match or two, so to come away winning is unbelievable.

“Today a lot went my way, I started really well in the first four frames. After that, I really did feel quite a few frames, had some amazing clearances. Like Stu said, it could’ve easily been 5-5 after 10 frames. Glad to see him back in the final and pushing into the top 16 again, I’m sure he’ll get there in no time.”