Neil Robertson defeats Shaun Murphy in the World Grand Prix snooker final

Stuart Bingham is set to compete against Neil Robertson for the World Grand Prix championship in Hong Kong, marking his first ranking final appearance in six years. The 2015 world champion from England secured his place in the final by defeating the current world number one, Judd Trump, with a 6-3 victory. Meanwhile, Neil Robertson staged a remarkable comeback against Shaun Murphy, overcoming a 5-3 deficit to win 6-5. During the match, the 43-year-old Australian achieved three century breaks, including a decisive 114 in the final frame, to secure his spot in Sunday’s best-of-19-frames showdown.

Ranked 19th globally prior to the World Grand Prix, Robertson’s impressive performance has significantly enhanced his chances of breaking back into the top 16, potentially earning him an automatic entry to the World Championship in April. Last year, the 2010 world champion was unable to qualify, interrupting his streak of 19 consecutive appearances at the Crucible Theatre.

Shaun Murphy, the 2005 world champion who earned his title as a qualifier, might face the challenge of going through qualifiers again to secure a place in the main draw in Sheffield this year. With two ranking events left before the World Championship seeding deadline—the Players Championship and the Tour Championship—Murphy, who was ranked 12th before the World Grand Prix, aims to defend his substantial ranking points, having triumphed in both events in 2023.

In Bingham’s match against Trump, he managed to win a scrappy opening frame and then took a commanding 5-1 lead, including his only century break. Although Trump attempted a comeback with breaks of 124 and 72, a missed red gave Bingham the opportunity to clinch the victory. Bingham’s previous ranking final was the 2019 Gibraltar Open, where he claimed his sixth career title.