STUART BINGHAM admits he is “riding a wave” of some excellent form at the moment and wants to use it to have an extended run at this week’s English Open.
Ballrun beat Welshman Lee Walker 4-0 yesterday at the Barnsley Metrodome and will face the winner of today’s clash between Essex rival Mark King and China’s Fang Xiongman in his next match on Wednesday (October 18).
Bingham reached the final of the European Masters in Belgium earlier this month and since then recorded a 5-1 victory over promising German Lukas Kleckers in a qualifier for the Shanghai Masters.
The world No 9 has also had four solid chances to make a 147 in his last two matches – including an especially good one which broke down on 104 after the 13th red against Walker as he chased the £40,000 maximum prize – and feels he can score heavily whenever he gets the chance right now.
The good form comes after an inconsistent start to the campaign and Bingham believes a turning point was a 4-3 defeat to King at the Indian Open last month.
He explained: “Yeah, I think that defeat against Mark is a big part of the reason I am playing so well now. It hurt.
“We are good friends off the table and I look forward to a local battle with him again if he gets through.
“But I am focused on my game right now and I am just happy to be scoring so well at the moment.
“I am going into reds and I can see all the shots I can play straight away – which is a nice place to be in.
“I guess I am riding a wave a bit and I need to make the most of it.
“Last season I made a final, then a semi and then another final, and I think you do get good patches of form like that in this game.
“I reached the final in Belgium a couple of weeks ago and had a good win in a qualifier last week, and another here yesterday, so I am in good nick at the moment.
“That all said I know I could go out and have a stinker tomorrow so I am not get getting carried away at all.”
