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Bingham hopes China trip can set up more Crucible glory

STUART BINGHAM is hoping his China Open campaign can set him up nicely for the defence of his world crown at the Crucible next month.

After missing out on a place at the Ladbrokes Players Championship in Manchester this week, Ball Run has decided to fly out to Beijing early to prepare for the penultimate ranking event of the season.

A last-32 defeat to Michael White at the China Open in April 2015 was far from what Bingham wanted – but a month later he won snooker’s greatest prize in Sheffield and admits he’d settle for a similar result again this year.

He said: “I’ve just done an interview with the guy doing the programme for the Crucible so I’m really starting to look forward to getting back there now.

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Bingham satisfied with week in Wales despite final defeat in thriller with Murphy

STUART BINGHAM said he was satisfied with a return to form in Wales – despite Sunday’s thrilling final defeat to Shaun Murphy.

Ball Run beat David Gilbert (4-1), Judd Trump (4-2), Ryan Day (4-2) and Joe Perry (6-5) to set up a best-of-19 clash for the World Grand Prix title with Murphy – the man he beat in last year’s World Championship final.

And the showdown with The Magician did not disappoint as the friends slugged it out to go all-square at 9-9 before Murphy came out on top in a tense decider to claim the £100,000 prize and some payback for his Crucicle heartache.

Bingham, who made the long drive back from Llandudno with the consolation of a £35,000 runner-up cheque on Monday morning, said: “He just potted two unbelievable reds in the last frame and I did not get a chance.

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Bingham aims to renew fitness and focus for the run-in

STUART BINGHAM says he plans to regain fitness and focus for the season’s run-in after a very disappointing February.

The world champion’s difficult follow-up season to his Crucible win continued last month with first-stage exits at the Welsh Open and the Gdynia Open.

The 4-3 defeat to Scot Fraser Patrick last week in Poland cost Bingham a place alongside the European Order of Merit’s top 24 at the Ladbrokes Player Championship in Manchester in late March.

Ball-Run has also just missed out on a place at this week’s winners’ group of the Championship League after three wins and three defeats saw him edged out of a semi-final spot in the final qualifying round.