Wembley woe for Davis

Three-times Masters champion Steve Davis crashed out of the SAGA Insurance Masters at the hands of a flu-stricken Stuart Bingham.

The Essex players were drawn together in the first match of this year’s £400,000 eight-day tournament at the Wembley Conference Centre.

But despite reaching the final of the Travis Perkins UK Championship in York last month, 48-year-old Davis could not reproduce any of the wonderful form he found at the Barbican Centre.

He was beaten 6-4 by Bingham in their best-of-11 frame clash, with his conqueror admitting afterwards he was considering withdrawing from the tournament because of his illness.

“I might not have come down to play,” he said.

“I’ve been in bed for the last three or four days. I’ve been ill with the flu.

“I puked my guts up last night before I went to bed and only had about four hours’ sleep.

“I’ve had to take lots of drugs to try and make myself better. I can’t believe I’ve gone through to be honest.”

Both players struggled for form until, at 4-4, Bingham snatched the last two frames he needed for victory and a second-round showdown with former world champion Peter Ebdon.

“I’ve had nothing to eat for three days, but I’ve been playing well. I think adrenalin and the atmosphere out there in the arenahelped me through,” added Bingham.

“It was a very scrappy match and we didn’t play well. I don’t know whether Steve was ill because he had the sniffles out there, but I’m just glad to be through.

“I don’t know what’s happened to Steve. He’s been playing really well, he showed that at York. I’m just glad he didn’t play well against me.”

Six-times world champion Davis said: “That’s just snooker I suppose.

“I suppose I’m disappointed, but I’m philosophical about winning and losing these days.

“It was a scrappy old game and neither of use deserved to win it. The game never got off the ground.”

“I don’t think you’re ever off the ground until you’re past the first round. I just never got going.

“It was a day of hard grafting and mentally. Perhaps I was not up for as I should have been?”

Davis won the opener thanks to a 59 break before Bingham levelled. The third frame, which lasted over half an hour, went to Davis, before Bingham squared it after a scrappy fourth frame and then pocketed a break of 61 to go ahead.

A 49 run saw Davis make it 3-3, before Bingham restored his lead after a drawn-out seventh.

Davis levelled, but in the ninth frame he missed an easy pink and Bingham edged ahead.

A run of 54 in the 10th frame secured Bingham a place in the next round and he plays Ebdon tomorrow evening.