STUART Bingham is through to the last 16 at the Betway UK Championships.

The 43-year-old, from Bowers Gifford, was the first player in the hat for the fourth round with a 6-1 triumph over Chinese youngster Zhao Xintong.

And Bingham is pleased with how his game is coming together.

He said: “Elements of my game have been there all season.

“My break-building’s been there most of the time.

“It’s now just about fine-tuning my match play and picking the right shots when I need them.

“My focus was a bit better in this match than it had been so that was pleasing.

“I’m a bit older and wiser than most of the players on the tour – especially Zhao – and I think that showed.

“I got off to an amazing start with a century and that really settled me into the match.

“I won the second after a re-spot and that then seemed to put him on edge.

“When my break-building’s so good I just want to try and pot everything.

“I just need to pick the right shots at the right time because I know my game’s there.

“But overall I played well and I did really enjoy it out there.”

Having made the quarter-final of the Champion of Champions and the third round of the Northern Ireland Open in November, Bingham arrived in Yorkshire with hopes of progressing deep into one of his favourite tournaments.

But the 2015 world champion acknowledged that following his latest win, he is anticipating bigger tests against anyone he comes up against on one of snooker’s most prestigious stages.

“There’s always a really good atmosphere in York and although I know I can’t dwell on my performances so far, I’m really looking forward to getting back out there,” said Bingham.

“But I know I’ve got to be on it from ball one.

“Any lack of concentration will be punished and you can quite easily go from having a great win and being on cloud nine to getting beaten.

“I’m going to continue trying to impose my own game and keep pushing the boat out when I can.

“When you get that far in front you don’t want to change your game.

“It’s more about tightening up now as I go forward.”

>Watch the UK Championship live on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White.