Muscat: The Muscat Nights International Billiards and Snooker Championship got underway on Wednesday evening at Arena Active Oman in a vibrant and highly competitive atmosphere, marking the launch of one of the region’s leading cue-sports events as part of the Muscat Nights festival. The opening day featured wide participation from players representing different countries and playing styles.
The first day produced a series of powerful results that reflected the intensity of competition from the opening break. Habib Sabah defeated Nasser al Zadjali 3–0, Mohammed Motaz beat Hamza al Awidi 3–1, while Amir Hossein continued his fine form with two successive victories over Karar 3–0 and Ahmed al Kindi 3–0. Murtadha al Suri overcame Jamshid al Mahrouqi 3–0, Hamoud al Harthy defeated Mark Anthony 3–0, and Ali Hussain maintained his strong presence with a 3–0 win over Al Yaman al Balushi.
Mohammed Saleh secured a deserved 3–0 victory over Amer al Rashdi, Ehsan beat Hussain al Shaibani 3–0, and in a closely fought match, Sadiq al Farsi edged Hassan al Harthy 3–2. Rafi defeated Waqar Ahmed 3–1, Milad Kashani beat Mohammed Elhami 3–0, Ahmed Noman overcame Shahzad Ghani 3–0, Suhaib Abed defeated Qasim Abbas 3–0, Abdulaziz al Sinani beat Al Muhannad al Nahdi 3–1, Karar overcame Qais al Hashami 3–0, and Ahmed Bashir beat Taha al Balushi 3–1. Mohammed Noman wrapped up the confirmed results with a 3–0 victory over Nader al Adawi, underlining that the opening day set the stage for high levels of excitement and challenge in the rounds ahead.
Khalid bin Khalfan al Subhi, Chairman of the Oman Billiards and Snooker Committee, said the strong start of the championship and the participation of 125 players from 18 countries reflect the growing international confidence in Oman’s ability to host major sporting events. "The organising committee has received positive feedback from participating delegations regarding the high standard of organisation and facilities, while the competitive atmosphere and Muscat Nights activities have helped showcase Oman as a leading sports and tourism destination."
Al Subhi also reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to hosting more international tournaments to further develop billiards and snooker in Oman and give local players greater exposure on the global stage.
Saudi national team player Hamza al Sayed said the championship features a high technical level and strong competitors, making the race for the titles fascinating. He praised the organisation in Oman, noting that it exceeded his expectations, and highlighted the importance of competing against elite players in raising performance and accelerating development. Hamza also expressed his ambition to fight for the title after a successful opening match, while commending the positive atmosphere surrounding the tournament.
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