WST Pro Series Snooker 2021: 'Outside chance' – Stuart Bingham and Judd Trump eye world title glory
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ByEurosport
Updated 21/03/2021 at 11:08 GMT
Judd Trump and Stuart Bingham will contest the final group at the inaugural WST Pro Series event on Sunday. The former world champions finished as the top two in Group 4 on Saturday with Trump edging out Bingham as section winner courtesy of a 2-1 victory over his fellow Englishman in their group decider. Trump finished on 18 points with Bingham on 15 as the Crucible quickly occupied their minds.
Stuart Bingham
Image credit: Eurosport
Judd Trump and Stuart Bingham completed the final group places at the inaugural WST Pro Series event in Milton Keynes with the former world champions having a vested interest in Crucible glory next month after finishing top of Group 4.
Trump – who enjoyed five centuries in compiling six wins from seven outings – and Bingham will join Ali Carter, Mark Williams, Kyren Wilson, Xiao Guodong, Jack Lisowski and Sam Craigie when the final group begins at 10am (GMT) on Sunday.
World number one Trump is out to equal last season's record haul of six ranking titles having lifted the English Open, Northern Ireland Open, World Grand Prix, German Masters and Gibraltar Open so far this term in an unprecedented pursuit of glory.
After losing 2-0 to Dominic Dale, Trump won a glorious six-in-a-row, including a taut last-frame victory against Bingham, who defeated him on his way to an epic 17-16 win during his victorious 2015 world title campaign.
World number 16 Bingham needs to claim the WST Pro Series otherwise he will be forced to qualify for the tournament he won six years ago with the Crucible qualifiers in Sheffield beginning on 5 April.
"I played well today after a slow start, I felt really relaxed out there,” said Bingham.
“It’s nice to be in the last group. It was tough today and it will be even tougher tomorrow. You’ve got to win games early in the day to keep yourself in the frame.
I’ve got an outside chance to get into the top 16, I’ve just got the easy task of winning the final group! It would mean everything to do that and make sure I’m at the Crucible.
"If I play like I did today I’ve got a chance. If not, I’ll go to the qualifiers. I haven’t had to do that since 2010 and it will be two hard games. What will be will be.”
2019 world champion Trump already has three shots at the record sixth ranking event victory with the Tour Championship breaking off on Monday before the World Championship begins on 17 April.
He said: "It would be nice to equal it at the Tour Championship or the World Championship. I’m in a great position for both of them."
Three-times world champion Mark Selby will focus on the Tour title after winning three matches and losing four to finish fifth in the eight-man Group 4 table.
WST Pro Series final group 2021
- Judd Trump
- Stuart Bingham
- Mark Williams
- Ali Carter
- Kyren Wilson
- Xiao Guodong
- Jack Lisowski
- Sam Craigie
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