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Masters snooker: Yan Bingtao beats Stuart Bingham to reach final at tender age of 20

Yan Bingtao rallied to beat Neil Robertson

Yan Bingtao won a tense deciding frame to beat Stuart Bingham 6-5 and reach the final of the Masters on his debut in the event.

The 20-year-old constructed a precise and brave break of 65, capped by a match-winning black to the centre pocket, to get the better of Bingham at the end of a four-hour struggle.

Yan had appeared set to complete a fine turnaround from 4-2 to win 6-4, only to miss a straightforward red with the rest and allow Bingham to land what might have been a decisive counter-strike.

But while both players had early openings in the 11th and final frame, it was Yan who made the match-winning contribution with a composed contribution to reach his maiden triple crown final.

Bingham can have few complaints, having spent the middle portion of the match missing chances and watching on as his opponent outscored him, before a stroke of luck helped the 44-year-old to win the 10th frame and force a decider.

The defending champion got in early and had his chance once more, but a thin red rattled in the jaws and that was to prove his final meaningful contribution to another epic encounter.

Yan plotted his way through a difficult pack before a stunning black left Bingham needing four snookers, and though Bingham found one of them, he immediately left his opponent another chance, and so ended his title defence.

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