SIX-TIME world snooker champion Steve Davis says the challenge facing Basildon ace Stuart Bingham is staying at the top of his game.

Bingham spent many seasons trying to break into the sport’s top 16 and currently stands in 11th position.

But Davis, who claimed his six world titles in the 1980s, says the Vange potter must learn how to adapt to keeping his ranking.

“Stuart has jumped up in standard to a level that means he is now looked upon as one of the favourites and from that perspective it’s a great achievement because at one stage it didn’t look like he was going to do that,” said Davis, 56.

“It is a fantastic achievement but the ongoing problem for him is to stay in that position.

“Form is not easy to continually have when the standards are so high. You only have to be off a fraction and someone is there to mop up the tears.”

Davis added that Bingham, 37, had to work out in his mind how to stay at the top of the game. He’ll also have to prevent himself becoming frustrated when things don’t go his way.

The London-born player, who was twice ranked world number one in the 1980s, stressed there are always players coming in and out of form but he thought it was simpler to be the best 30 years ago.

“I had less strong players around at the time so the job of staying at the top was easier looking back on it,” Davis added.

“Now we have such strength in depth with players that the general public have never heard of who can easily beat you over a best-of-nine frames match.

“If you go through a barren