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Bingham: Liang was inspired – but I’m happy with my game right now

STUART BINGHAM admitted he just met a man playing “inspired” snooker after another near miss at the English Open – but says he is very happy with his own solid form heading into next week’s International Championship in China.

Ballrun lost a sensational 6-5 semi-final to Liang Wenbo (pictured), and the player they call the Firecracker went on to end Judd Trump’s 14-match winning run in Sunday’s final to win his maiden ranking title and the new Steve Davis Trophy – and secure his place at the Champion of Champions (CoC).

It means Bingham – who has made a final and two semis in the last three tournaments – now needs to win in China to secure his own CoC spot, although a good run and win for a champion who has already booked a spot is likely to be enough to earn the World No 2 his place at next month’s coveted event in Coventry.

Bingham’s English Open campaign began with a remarkable 4-3 comeback win over Robert Milkins and he says that reprieve made him feel like any other success in Manchester felt like a bonus.

He said: “I think 9,999 out of 10,000 times I was out in that situation against Milkins but he got a kick, things changed and I took advantage.

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Bingham happy to be back challenging for titles again

STUART BINGHAM says it felt good to be a genuine contender for top titles again – despite two final-stage defeats during a grueling schedule in Asia last month.

After being pipped to the Six Reds crown by in-form Ding Junhui in a final at the start of the month, Ballrun lost a thrilling semi-final 6-5 to world No 1 Mark Selby (pictured) at the Shanghai Masters at the end of September.

Bingham then had to immediately fly back to the UK for two sets of qualifiers in Preston, but has now had time to reflect on his near misses in Thailand and China.

He said: “It is a bit like pulling teeth against Mark, but it was another one that just got away.

“I was gutted to come up a little bit short – especially after the close defeat to Ding at the Six Reds – but I took the positives away.

“And it is nice to just be back in the later stages of the tournaments again.

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Bingham honoured to take place in Shanghai history

STUART BINGHAM says he will be honoured this week to play his part in the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Shanghai Masters.

Bullrun won the event in 2014 with a 10-3 final victory over Mark Allen and he was asked to take part in promotional work for its special occasion this summer.

The event will run from September 19-25 and Bingham starts on Wednesday (Sep 21) against Wales’ world No 39 Jamie Jones.

World No 2 Bingham said: “I was lucky enough this year to do some promotional work with the Shanghai Amateur Masters when I was invited out to China to see some of their emerging players.

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Bingham critical of Ding call at Champion of Champions

STUART BINGHAM has criticised the decision to give World Championship runner-up Ding Junhui a spot at this year’s Champion of Champions – ahead of World Seniors champion Mark Davis.

Mark Selby’s win at the Paul Hunter Classic means there are only five tournaments left for a player to secure one of the three remaining spots out of 16 at the £100,000 event in Coventry in early November.

There are 24 qualification spots available and if one player occupies more than one – as is the case with the top two, which are occupied by defending Champion of Champions winner and UK Championship title holder Neil Robertson – another spot becomes available (the current list is set out above).

It means Davis faces a nervy wait over the next couple of months, while Ding – who lost to Mark Selby in the final at the Crucible in May – is guaranteed his place.

It also means Bingham’s chances of getting a spot through his ranking as World No 2 are over.

Ball Run explained: “A few years ago when Ding won five tournaments they only had 14 champions for 16 spots and Shaun Murphy and Mark Davis qualified through the rankings, I think.

So in early August it looked like there needed to be a few different winners from then, to stop me getting in as the world No 2. So it looked like I had a good chance.

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Bingham ready for Essex derby with Wilson

STUART BINGHAM faces ­another ‘Battle of Es­sex’ at the Paul Hunt­er Classic – and this­ time he is determined to claim the bragging rights.

Ball Run was knocked ­out by Ali Carter in ­the last ranking event as the Chelmsford-based pro went on to record a memorable title win at the World Open in China.

Carter will be at the­ Stadthalle in German­y to defend his Paul ­Hunter Classic crown ­too, but it is Southe­nd’s Sydney Wilson, 2­6, who will be Bingha­m’s first opponent ea­rly on Saturday afternoon (August 27).

Wilson is world ranke­d 87 and learnt his trade u­nder the late Vic Har­ris, who also helped ­world No 2 Bingham wi­th his game at the st­art of his career.

Bingham said: “I know­ Sydney a little bit ­and I think he practi­ses at Ali Carter’s c­lub in Witham now.

“He has had some good­ results and there wi­ll be a bit of local ­rivalry there again, b­ut I feel it is one I­ should win if I play­ my A-Game.

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Bingham: My shot at world No 1 has gone – but I’ll challenge again

STUART BINGHAM admitted his “big chance” at becoming world No 1 was ended with defeat to Ali Carter at the World Open – but Bull Run plans to work his way back into the running for top spot over the next couple of years.

Heading into the season’s third ranking event in China last month, Ball Run had a chance at becoming only snooker’s 12th-ever top ranked player if he won the title with current leading Mark Selby being knocked out early on (the full permutations are excellently explained by @ProSnookerBlog here). 

But a nip-and-tuck 5-3 loss in round two to bogeyman and eventual champion Carter, after an opening 5-4 win over Stuart Carrington, means Bingham would now need a sensational run of results to challenge again this season, with Selby about £80,000 clear on the money list (the top 10 is pictured below).

The 2015 world champion explained: “That was my big chance gone. I won in Shanghai two years ago and also at an Asian Tour event and I’ll have those points coming off so this was probably my last chance at world No 1 for the foreseeable future. I would need another two good years now to be in contention.

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‘Fernandez ban shows why corruption in snooker is never worth it’

STUART BINGHAM says Leo Fernandez’s ban is a stark reminder that corruption in snooker is “just not worth it”.

Ireland’s Ferandez, 40, has been suspended from the sport for 15 months after he admitted he deliberately played a foul shot in a World Championship qualifier in April which enabled others to profit from betting.

Bingham, 40, said: “I turned pro at the same time as Leo in 1995 and we came through together so this came as a shock to me.

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Bingham looking forward to Indian Open return

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.

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Bingham rues bad luck in Riga

STUART BINGHAM was left cursing some dreadful luck which saw his exit from the Riga Masters with defeat to eventual finalist Michael Holt.

Ball Run was 3-2 up in the first-to-four clash and in control of the frame he needed for victory when his promising crack at the first tournament of the season was ended at the last 16 stage.

He said: “How I lost from there is a joke – I felt it was a million to one shot he would beat me from there.

“I was 36 up after laying a snooker and just had to roll one in to stay on the black. There had been some kicks in the tournament but this one jumped on me and he pinched the frame to make it 3-3.

“Then he broke off in the next frame and left me shot to nothing and I got a really bad kick and he made 69 to win. I was left scratching my head to be honest.

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Bingham: Selt’s ban is “harsh” and trolling needs to be tackled

STUART BINGHAM says Matt Selt’s two-tournament ban for ‘offensive’ tweets is “harsh” and is concerned about the growing problem of internet trolling.

Selt (pictured), 31, felt the governing body’s decision to exclude him from this month’s Riga Masters and August’s Paul Hunter Classic is “draconian” after he was punished for a Twitter exchange with a member of the public.

And he received some sympathy from Bingham, who has been repeatedly subjected to online abuse on social media for many years now.

Bingham said: “I do not know the specifics of Matt’s case but I do know it does not help when you get abused by online trolls.

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