This would be really easy to write – all I would need to say is that Stuart Bingham dominated with breaks of x,y and z to comfortably win over Mark Selby. But the match didn’t seem as if it was going to go that way, considering Bingham was 2-0 down to the English Open champion. Let’s observe Bingham’s cruise to victory against Selby in the Last-16 of the World Open.

Probably the longest and closest frame of match, Frame 1 saw Selby pot a strong opening red from distance which resulted in a 42 break ceasing after an unsuccessful split. After a careful safety exchange, Bingham slotted a wonderful 3-ball plant into the left centre, leading to a break of 41. Selby had Bingham in a lot of trouble with snookers but Bingham got one of his own which offered a chance to clear the colours. Bingham fell short at the blue as it was tight to the baulk cushion resulting in Selby securing the frame.

Frame 2 seemed as if Selby was picking up right where he left off after the English Open and his earlier round matches. A break of 86 helped him take the second frame. Smooth sailings for Selby, right? Unfortunately for him in Frame 3, a powerful and impressive long pot went in-off after which Bingham placed his cue ball and made a 108.

A loose safety from Selby in Frame 4 allowed Bingham to make a 40 with a delicate opening red into left centre. He would have made the century if he got a better position on the blue to split the pack but he had another shot at the table from another short safety by Selby. In came a break of 97. Bingham wasn’t missing. This was followed by a 114 in Frame 5. A missed long pot from Selby turned into a successful long pot from Bingham.

Unlikely from Selby, he played the break far too short which led to another century of 104 from Bingham, leaving him needing one more frame for the win. Similar to the loose safety Selby played in Frame 4, Bingham did something similar in Frame 7 – Selby made a break of 11 but grazed off the side of the pack when playing the blue, leaving him on nothing. Selby’s final shot came at a hesitant long pot attempt. Bingham followed to win the match with a 117, which included a couple of nice doubles on the final 2 reds.

Despite a smooth start for Selby, his safety faulted throughout the rest of the match and those loose safeties are what Bingham capitalised on. This was very similar to what Selby did to Gilbert in the English Open final. Selby probably would have guessed that Bingham wouldn’t clear up the way he did. Selby won’t lose any confidence from this match. He still has the English Open win under his belt and he knew that he was up against someone in top form. If Selby’s safety was as it were in the English Open final, then he would’ve given Bingham a little more trouble.

Bingham brought out the kind of snooker that players wish they could always bring out. He was a century and break-building machine; but he was also matching Selby’s safeties and escaping his snookers comfortably. Much like the usual, just when everyone somewhat forgets about Bingham and thinks he’s fading out of the game, he comes and wins an Open. And whether he goes on to win this tournament or not, I wouldn’t be surprised if he won a ranking event this season.