STUART Bingham admits he will have to shake off some early season demons if he is to qualify for the Indian Open.

The 42-year-old from Bowers Gifford has endured a difficult start to the 2018/19 campaign.

Bingham was surprisingly beaten by two Chinese underdogs in the qualifying rounds for the Riga Masters and World Open.

He now takes on Scotland’s Chris Totten today at 4pm and he says he hopes to be less distracted this time around after his son Shae left hospital.

“It was hard to take the defeats beforehand,” said the 2015 World Champion.

“I had a little problem off the table with my son being in hospital and it was hard to see anything other than that and my mind wasn’t on the qualifying in honesty.

“In truth I didn’t want to be there and it wasn’t a good time. That transmitted onto the table and I was beaten.

“What has happened will play on my mind at first but I must block it out.

“I haven’t played Chris before but I know he is capable. He was playing Matt Selt next to me at a tournament in the past and he won so I won’t take anything for granted.”

Bingham was beaten 4-0 by Niu Zhuang and 5-4 by Zhang Anda in his first two competitive matches of the season.

And he said watching his fellow professionals compete in Latvia and China in the first two ranking tournaments of this season was a struggle.

“Seeing the others play on TV was hard to take but I have spent time with my son and he is on the mend,” said Bingham.

“We are waiting on a few blood tests but he is back kicking a football and is his old self again, which is great.

“But I have been practicing hard and I feel good. In the first match (against Niu Zhuang) I lost the first two frames on the black and if they had gone my way I might have won 4-0 instead of losing 4-0 but that was the way it went.

“That dominoes onto the next tournament and Zhang Anda beat me 5-4. I managed to get it back to 4-4 but one mistake cost me and that can sometimes be the difference.”

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BINGHAM WANTS THREE WINS IN A WEEK

THREE quick-fire qualifiers in six days has the potential to turn around Stuart Bingham’s season.

The world number 12 is looking for a first victory of the season following two early defeats otherwise he is at risk of dropping down the standings.

A qualifier against Chris Totten is followed by matches against Jamie Jones and Craig Steadman.

Bingham faces Jones on Saturday in a bid to reach the main draw of the European Masters before playing Steadman for the right to play in the China Championship.

And he says his early season reverses have put the pressure on.

“There is more pressure now,” said Bingham. “Everyone has played in two tournaments and I haven’t.

“It has been a bit of a later start for me and these matches will be tough. I need to take my practice game into the match and if I do I have faith I can get a positive result.

“I have working with Sean O’Sullivan and Martin O’Donnell and I feel sharp because of it.

“I know Jamie and Craig’s game a bit better than Chris’ but I know how important today’s game is. It could all hinge on that first match’s result.”

Following Monday’s match against Steadman, Bingham is travelling to Thailand for the invitational event – the Six Red World Championship.

“If I win all three I could be travelling for about five weeks between India, China and Thailand,” he said. “I want to win my matches and will be doing everything possible to do so.”