Stuart Bingham will tackle Neil Robertson for the World Grand Prix title in Hong Kong after holding off world primary Judd Trump to succeed in his first rating closing in six years.
England’s Bingham, the 2015 world champion, beat Trump 6-3 after Robertson had fought again from 5-3 all the way down to edge out Masters champion Shaun Murphy 6-5.
Australian Robertson, 43, knocked in three centuries, together with a 114 break within the deciding body, to succeed in Sunday’s best-of-19-frames closing.
The left-hander was nineteenth on the planet rankings earlier than the World Grand Prix, however his run to the ultimate has boosted his hopes of returning to the highest 16 and subsequently securing an automated spot on the World Championship in April.
The 2010 world champion was crushed in qualifying final 12 months, ending a run of 19 consecutive appearances on the Crucible Theatre.
Murphy, who gained the world title as a qualifier in 2005, is confronted with doubtlessly needing to undergo that route once more to succeed in the principle attract Sheffield this 12 months.
There are two rating occasions remaining earlier than the cut-off level for World Championship seedings – the Gamers Championship and the Tour Championship.
The 42-year-old Englishman, who was twelfth on the planet earlier than the World Grand Prix began, shall be defending an enormous tally of rating factors in these two occasions, having gained each in 2023.
Later, Bingham – the 2016 World Grand Prix runner-up – edged a scrappy opener in opposition to Trump earlier than recording his solitary century break as he took a 5-1 lead.
Knocks of 124 and 72 adopted for Trump as he launched a comeback cost, however a missed purple allowed his opponent to seal the win.
Bingham’s final rating closing was the 2019 Gibraltar Open, which he gained for his sixth title.
