STUART BINGHAM is looking to replicate some of the sensational form he showed at the World Open when he embarks on a bit of a “revenge” mission against John Higgins at the Champion of Champions this week.
Ball-Run caught the eye of the snooker world when he knocked in four tons to beat newly-crowned English Open champ Mark Selby 5-2 in China last week.
It came after scratchy wins over Nigel Bond (5-3) and Jimmy Robertson (5-3), and before a 5-2 last-eight defeat to Higgins, who Bingham will break off against in Coventry at 4pm this Thursday (Nov 7).
The 2019 Gibraltar Open champion said: “One shot changed the match against Selby, he went in off with a chance to go 3-0 up and something just clicked for me. I’ve never played that well in a nine-frame match before.
“I was just in the zone and everytime I went into the pack I got nice splits.
“I didn’t realise I’d made four tons until afterwards and I guess that is the best way to beat Mark Selby. After the way he played in the final at the English Open, I knew it would be tough.
“I’m not sure what clicked but I’d love to bottle it and replicate it all the time, starting in Coventry this week.”
Higgins lost a deciding frame in best-of-11 against eventual World Open champion Judd Trump in the last four.
Bingham added: “I shook John’s hand after our match and said I’d try and get my revenge at the Champion of Champions, and he had a little chuckle.
But I’m looking forward to it. We’ve both just got back from China and will be trying to get over jet-lag in the coming days.
“But Coventry always plays nice and the tables they use are quite generous I think, so hopefully it will be a good match – and a good result for me!”