Stuart Bingham
Stuart Bingham scored an emphatic 10-2 win over Sam Baird to reach the last 16 of the Betfair World Championship.

 

Bingham is through to the second round at the Crucible for the fourth time in his career and will seek to reach the quarter-finals for the first time when he takes on Mark Davis. Basildon's 36-year-old Bingham is enjoying the best season of his career having won the Premier League and two Asian PTC events as well as reaching the finals of two ranking events and climbing into the world's top eight. If he keeps up the form he showed against Baird he will take plenty of stopping.

 

The bulk of the damage was done in the first session last night as Bingham fired breaks of 64, 71, 73 and 80 in taking an 8-1 lead. And he added the two frames he needed tonight with further runs of 73 and 79.

 

"Thankfully for me I got on top of Sam pretty early and he started feeling the nerves of playing his debut here," said Bingham. "I was 8-1 down to Hendry at the end of the first session last year so I know exactly how it feels, and it was important for me to get the job done as soon as I could tonight.

"I have always had the self belief and in the last two years I have actually proved it. There are loads of tournaments so you have so many chances to do well. This is my 29th tournament this season, who would have thought that a few years ago?

 

"I was practising with Mark Davis just before he came up here so I knew he was in good form. Back home he beat me 10-9, on my table. It is going to be a tough game.

"This is the home of snooker. It is tight and a unique atmosphere. You have just got to enjoy it and live the buzz. There is nothing better."


Baird said: "I felt alright but I was disappointed I could not produce a better performance. It is a great place to play but I was fearing it could be a 10-0 at one point.

"It is not like any other place. The atmosphere is a lot better and it is different. People are very close to you and there is not much room around the table. I would like that match again if you offered me it."