STUART BINGHAM is looking forward to his return to the Indian Open after a three-year absence from the event.
Ball Run last played in the tournament in New Delhi in 2013 when he lost 4-3 in the last 16 to Pankaj Advani and did not enter the following season after the dates of the event in Mumbai were changed from October to March due to local elections.
It was not staged in the last campaign but it is back this month (July 5-9) in Hyderabad and Bingham gets underway against Lincolnshire rookie Steven Hallworth, 20, in round one on Tuesday.
Bingham said: “It will be good to compete in the event again and I am looking forward to the trip and the warm welcome we get in India.
“I tend to play at all the tournaments no matter where they are but it is just circumstances that have meant I have not been in this event for a while.
“But pulling out of it in 2015 turned out to be a very sensible decision for me – because shortly afterwards I won the world title!
“It’s a new city for me to visit and I will have to be on my game from the start against Steven because anything can happen in a best of seven.”
It is a busy time for Bingham and his young family as they are in the middle of a house move to another area of Basildon.
The world No 2 also took some time out last week to treat his wife Michelle on her birthday.
He said: “We went to Lakeside and I bought her a nice Pandora bracelet which I think she likes.
“And I hope it will make up a bit for me traveling overseas at the moment while we are in the middle of the move and there is a lot to do.
“But we should be settled in there soon and hopefully I’ll have a trophy and some prize money to bring back to our new home next week.”
