Muscat, Nov 17
All eyes turn on Tuesday to the Active Oman Centre at the Oman Automobile Association (OAA), where the singles category of the World Cup of Snooker enters its decisive phase with the Round of 32, Round of 16 and quarterfinal matches.
The global tournament, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman until November 23, is witnessing intense competition among the world’s top players, while Muscat continues to receive wide praise from participants for its exceptional organisation and outstanding facilities prepared to host an event of this scale.
The second day of the IBSF Oman World Cup of Snooker witnessed another round of intense group-stage action, as players continued their push towards the knockout rounds. Qatar’s Ali al Obaidli defeated Oman’s Abdullah al Raisi 3–1, while Malaysia’s Thor Chuan Leong overcame Afghanistan’s Mohammad Noor Zai. In Group E, Iran’s Siyavosh Mozayani secured a narrow 3–2 win over Afghanistan’s Mohammad Rais Senzahi and Australia’s Hassan Kerdee beat Oman’s Ahmed al Khusaibi 3–0.
Hong Kong China’s Chau Hon Man continued his strong performance with a 3–0 victory over Bahrain’s Khalil Busaif, while Poland’s Sebastian Milewski defeated Oman’s Sadiq al Farsi 3–1. China’s Deng Haohui beat Afghanistan’s Mohammad Zarif Afzali and Egypt’s Hesham Shawky won 3–0 against Oman’s Musallam al Masahli.
Additional results saw Poland’s Michal Szubarczyk, Australia’s Chi Kin Yeung, India’s Brijesh Damani, Bahrain’s Habib Sabah and India’s Hussain Khan all claim important wins. In Group L, UAE’s Mohamed Shehab defeated Iraq’s Ali Hussein, while Egypt’s Mina Awadi edged France’s Gauvain Bazin 3–2. India’s Pankaj Advani and Hong Kong China’s Chang Yu Kiu also secured straight-frame victories.
Elsewhere, Iran’s Ali Gharahgozlou, Qatar’s Ahmed Saif, UAE’s Khalid Kamali, Australia’s Adrian Ridley, Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif and India’s Aditya Mehta all continued their winning momentum. Hong Kong China’s Nansen Wan, Ukraine’s Mykhailo Larkov, Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh and Türkiye’s Enes Bakirci wrapped up the day with solid performances in their respective groups.
GREAT ADMIRATION
Hong Kong player Chang Yu Kiu expressed his great admiration for the event’s setup, noting that the championship is held in a modern venue that offers comfortable playing conditions and professional table and lighting standards. He added that the smooth logistics and punctual transportation help players perform at their best, affirming his ambition to compete for the title.
Oman’s national team player Husain al Lawati voiced his pride in the Sultanate of Oman’s hosting of a global tournament of this scale, emphasising that the hall, facilities, and organisation match the standards of top international events. He highlighted that direct competition with world-class players offers Omani players an invaluable opportunity to develop their skills.
Mohammed Mostafa Shehab, UAE national team player, praised the exceptional and fully integrated organisation of the tournament in Muscat, noting the high-quality tables, facilities and professional hosting standards. Shehab enters the tournament with strong ambitions, backed by an impressive career that includes a world title and three semifinal runs. He confirmed that his goal this year is to win the championship and represent the UAE in the best way possible.
Shehab added that this edition is among the strongest, featuring nearly 16 serious title contenders, far more than previous editions, where only two or three players were favourites. Shehab concluded that the high level of competition and organised structure make Muscat’s edition one of the most powerful.
The excitement continues on Wednesday as the singles competition concludes before the tournament shifts to the team event, which runs until November 23.
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