WC singles champion to be crowned in Muscat today

Muscat, Nov 18

The World Cup of Snooker in Muscat reaches its most decisive phase on Wednesday, as the singles category concludes with the semifinals followed by the grand finale, in which the 2025 world champion will be crowned.

After four consecutive days of intense competition — beginning with the group stage on Saturday, followed by the last 34 and last 32 rounds on Monday, and then the last 32, last 16 and quarterfinals on Tuesday — the Oman Automobile Association's Active Oman Hall is now set to host the event’s most anticipated day.

The team event will begin on Thursday and continue until November 23, opening a new window of excitement amid strong fan attendance and international praise for Oman’s organisation.

The Round of 16 featured several powerful and decisive matchups, as many of the world’s top players continued their excellent form on their way toward the final stages. Denys Khmelevskyi was the first to secure his spot after defeating Poland’s Tomasz Skalski, setting up a quarterfinal clash against England’s Harvey Chandler, who advanced with a solid victory over the UAE’s Mohamed Shehab.

China’s Chang Yu Kiu continued his impressive run with an important win over India’s Aditya Mehta, earning a place in the next stage where he will face Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh, who clinched qualification after a thrilling battle against Ukraine’s Mykhailo Larkov.

In the remaining fixtures, Pakistan’s Asjad Iqbal claimed a deserved win over Mina Awad, booking a quarterfinal meeting with India’s star Pankaj Advani, who advanced after defeating Brijesh Damani. Meanwhile, Hong Kong China’s Nansen Wan maintained his strong form by eliminating Chau Hon Man, and will now face France’s Nicolas Mortreux, who overcame Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif.

Ukraine’s Denys Khmelevskyi booked his place with a victory over Poland’s Tomasz Skalski, setting up a quarterfinal clash with England’s Harvey Chandler, who advanced after defeating the UAE’s Mohamed Shehab.

Moosa al Bakri, an Omani snooker referee, said that hosting the World Snooker Championship marks a major milestone for Oman and for the sport, noting that participants from more than 32 countries provide valuable exposure for Omani players and referees. He emphasised that such global events help develop national talent, adding that our goal is to earn the Asian badge and eventually reach world-level officiating.

Al Bakri highlighted the strong level of competition, with several players achieving century breaks, reflecting the high technical quality of the championship.

Belgian international referee Peter Adrian praised the organisation in Muscat, describing IBSF events as among the best in the world. He said the matches show clear strength and smooth, enjoyable performance, adding that refereeing at this level gives him “the best seat in the hall” as he follows the match directly at the table. He also commended the professionalism and expertise of the refereeing team in this edition.