Welsh Open: Neil Robertson beats Stuart Bingham in final

Neil Robertson held off a spirited fightback from Stuart Bingham to win the Welsh Open final 9-7 in Cardiff.

Australian Robertson led 7-3 before Englishman Bingham won four successive frames at the Motorpoint Arena.

Robertson, the world number 10, edged back in front before clinching victory with a break of 83.

"It was an amazing end. I had to hang in there. Great credit to Stuart. It was a great final because so many frames went back and forth," he said.

"To win an event does not happen very often, so I am really happy."

The £70,000 prize money for winning took Robertson's career earnings past £4m.

Robertson, who won the tournament in 2007, reached the final by thrashing Iran's Hossein Vafaei 6-0, while 2017 champion Bingham produced four centuries as he beat Joe O'Connor 6-2.

Robertson, 37, also hit a maximum break of 147 earlier in the tournament, but the final did not live up to the high standards the players had set.

Breaks of 71 and 69 helped Robertson to a 3-1 lead, with a 72 extending his advantage.

Robertson extended his lead to 7-3 after the break, before 42-year-old Bingham won the 11th frame.

Robertson seemed certain to move 8-4 in front, but Bingham stole in on the black to reduce the arrears to 7-5 in a 43-minute frame.

In a jittery 15th frame, both players missed at crucial times before Robertson claimed his second title of the season.

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