Singh Chadha Scores Huge Win Over Bingham
India’s Ishpreet Singh Chadha secured the biggest victory of his fledgling career, beating 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham 4-2 at the Cazoo British Open in Cheltenham.
Singh Chadha is in his rookie season on the World Snooker Tour, after coming through Asia-Oceania Q School earlier this year. He’s already made a strong start, having beaten Anthony McGill to qualify for the upcoming Wuhan Open. The Mumbai cueman also ran World Champion Luca Brecel close at the recent European Masters, before bowing out 5-3.
With the scores locked at 2-2, Singh Chadha’s brilliant win was sealed with breaks of 69 and 71. His reward is a last 32 meeting with former Crucible semi-finalist David Gilbert.
“I watched the whole of the 2015 World Championship and I just admired him throughout, because of the bottle he showed. I respect him a lot. He is a great player. To beat a World Champion is of great pleasure,” said 27-year-old Singh Chadha.
“I am just treating every match as if I was playing in India. I think that is helping a lot, especially this match, I was really confident before it. I had a different mindset going on and I was very positive. That helped a lot.
“I am taking small steps, but I want to set a benchmark when I leave the tour. Every match I am going to give it my all and you need to look out.”
Kyren Wilson made the 400th century of his career en route to an impressive 4-0 defeat of world number three Mark Allen. Wilson crafted breaks of 112 and 121 on his way to victory. Next up he faces another tough assignment against Barry Hawkins in the last 32.
Defeat for Allen ends his chances of usurping Ronnie O’Sullivan as world number one. The Northern Irishman needed to win the event to top the world rankings, meaning the Rocket will remain at the summit for the time being.
Robbie Williams scored a shock 4-1 win over four-time World Champion John Higgins to earn his place in the last 32.
It means he has now won both of his meetings with Higgins, having beaten him 5-4 at the 2020 German Masters. Williams crafted runs of 73, 91, 52 and 118 during today’s tie. He now plays Scott Donaldson.
Williams said: “John is such a classy player. Obviously one of the greatest of all-time. To be unbeaten against him, you have to celebrate these little victories when you can.
“I thought I would make a bit more of an effort in the off season and I have felt sharper as a result. I fancy doing some damage this season. I feel confident enough that I can win a tournament and that is a great mindset to have.”
The evening session saw the first of the last 32 matches get underway. Welsh three-time World Champion Mark Williams scored a 4-2 win over Gary Wilson in what was a repeat of the 2021 final. That sets up a showdown with China’s Ding Junhui in the next round.
Ding progressed with a 4-0 whitewash victory against Belgium’s Julien Leclercq, while Ali Carter beat defending champion Ryan Day 4-2 in a late night battle.