Rankings Update: Crucible Last 16

Down to eight players at the 2016 World Snooker Championship and there are now just two players remaining who can prevent Stuart Bingham from becoming world number one for the first time following the tournament.

As explained earlier in the event, despite his opening day defeat to Ali Carter at the Crucible, there remains a chance that the 2015 champion can become only the 12th player to have held the number one ranking since 1975.

Following defeats for the likes of Judd Trump and Ronnie O’Sullivan in the second round however, the only players who can now deny Bingham that place in history are John Higgins and current number one Mark Selby. Currently in fifth and seventh positions respectively on the latest provisional ranking list, the duo are now the only players who would be able to overtake Bingham by walking away from the £330,000 top prize.

For Selby, a second world title would see him end a fifth consecutive season ranked as number one, while Higgins would take top spot for the first time in five years.

Elsewhere in respect of world ranking movements, Kyren Wilson’s victory against Mark Allen has moved him into position to break into the top 16 for the first time in his career after the tournament, while defeat for Ronnie O’Sullivan means that he will finish the season no higher than ninth, his lowest position since the introduction of a prize-money based ranking list in 2014.