MATCH SCORE: Shaun Murphy 9-8 Stuart Bingham
First Session Shaun Murphy 4-4 Stuart Bingham
Stuart Bingham recovered from 3-0 down to level at 4-4 against Shaun Murphy in the opening session of the World Championship final in Sheffield.
Murphy, the 2005 champion, looked in command after the opening three frames but Bingham hit back with a century.
Bingham, playing in his first world final, grew in confidence and won two of the next three to go 4-3 behind, before taking the eighth to level.
The best-of-35 final resumes at 19:00 BST, with nine frames to be played.
Following his late semi-final victory over Judd Trump on Saturday - winning in a final-frame decider - Bingham fell behind in the biggest match of his career.
Murphy, who eased past Barry Hawkins in the last four, looked confident as he made breaks of 68, 59 and 65 to go 3-0 in front, but a 105 got Bingham on the scoreboard.
Bingham settled down from then on, stroking in breaks of 56 and 65 as he ended the first session all square.
Hendry's verdict
"That's a great result for Stuart Bingham," said seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry.
"At 3-0 down he made a great century in the fourth frame. But at 3-0 behind he was looking nervous and that the occasion was getting to him.
"After the way Shaun Murphy steamrollered Barry Hawkins in the semi-final, you thought it might happen again. Every session is important and you can stamp your authority on a match early on so that is a chance missed for Shaun.
"The way the session ended will have put some doubts in his mind and it will be a worry for him."
Second Session Shaun Murphy 5-4 Stuart Bingham
Shaun Murphy held a narrow 9-8 lead over Stuart Bingham after a thrilling first day of the World Championship final at the Crucible.
Bingham, 38, is playing in his maiden final at the Sheffield venue, and fought back from 3-0 and 8-4 down.
Murphy, the 2005 champion, showed his class with breaks of 121 and 106, but Bingham compiled 123 to move just one frame behind overnight.
The best-of-35 frame final will resume at 14:00 BST on Monday.
Snooker's showpiece event has so far lived up to its billing, with an all-English spectacle producing four centuries plus 13 further half-centuries.
Nottingham-based Murphy, appearing in his third final, was favourite heading into the match, but has been made to work hard by a battling performance from Basildon's Bingham.
He stated after his surprise semi-final victory over Judd Trump that he was "excited" to go out and play against Murphy and it showed, as he could not stop smiling throughout the opening exchanges.
But there was little to be happy about as 32-year-old Murphy claimed the first three frames.
Bingham settled down in the fourth with a century knock, before winning three of the next four frames to end the first session 4-4.
'The Magician' came out in the second session in stunning fashion, winning four in a row, including back-to-back tons. It equalled the most century breaks (83) made at a single World Championship.
Bingham showed great character, hitting back in the next three to go 8-7 behind with runs of 76 and 89, as well as breaking the tournament centuries record.
But Murphy snatched the 16th frame to guarantee himself an advantage heading into the final day, before Bingham took the last to stay in touch.
Parrott's verdict
"That's the best session I've ever seen Stuart play," said 1991 world champion John Parrot. "It has been a fabulous match we have seen this evening.
"Judd Trump could not get rid of Stuart in the semi-final and he again shows that he just does not want to get beaten. It's a fantastic show of character from him tonight and he can be proud of what he has done.
"Both players are capable of winning three or four frames on the trot tomorrow. This match is wide open."
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