Category: Snooker

LONDON: Former UK champion Zhao Xintong and Zhang Jiankang have become the latest Chinese players to be suspended from the World Snooker Tour during an investigation into alleged match-fixing, it was announced Tuesday.

Zhao, who beat Luca Brecel to win the 2021 UK Championship title, and Zhang, the world number 82, have been banned from attending or competing on the Tour with immediate effect, with 10 Chinese players bow suspended as part of an ongoing investigation.

Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao and seven other Chinese players had already been suspended by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), the sport’s global governing body.

A WPBSA statement issued Tuesday said: “This decision is part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes in breach of the WPBSA conduct regulations.

“The suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the investigation or any subsequent charges that may or may not be brought. Both Zhao and Zhang have the right to appeal this decision.

“The WPBSA can confirm that the wider investigation is now at an advanced stage, and it is anticipated will be completed shortly at which point any potential charges will be considered.

“No further comment will be made at this time, except in the event of any significant further developments.”

Lu Ning, Li Hang, Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning, Chang Bingyu, Yan Bingtao and Chen Zifan were all suspended in December after world number 56 Liang Wenbo became the first Chinese player to be suspended as part of the investigation in October.

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BRISTOL: Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao has become the latest Chinese player to be suspended from the World Snooker Tour amid an ongoing investigation into match-fixing, the sport’s governing body announced Monday.

The Chinese world number 16, has been banned from attending or competing at events with immediate effect as the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association continues to look into allegations matches were manipulated for gambling purposes.

Last week, five other Chinese players — Lu Ning, Li Hang, Zhao Jianbo, Bai Langning and Chang Bingyu — were suspended pending the outcome of the investigation, with compatriot Liang Wenbo banned in October.

“WPBSA chairman Jason Ferguson has taken the decision to suspend Yan Bingtao from attending or competing on the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect,” said a statement issued Monday.

“This decision is part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of manipulating the outcome of matches for betting purposes in breach of the WPBSA conduct regulations.

“The suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the investigation or any subsequent charges that may or may not be brought. Yan Bingtao has the right to appeal this decision.”

Yan is the highest-profile player to be suspended during the ongoing probe.

The 22-year-old produced a stunning upset to win the Masters, one of snooker’s leading tournaments, on his debut in the competition in 2021 and also has one ranking title to his name after winning the 2019 Riga Masters.

Yan was due to play in the English Open this week, but first-round opponent Ashley Hugill has been awarded a walkover.

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HONG KONG: World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan held off home favourite Marco Fu 6-4 to lift the Hong Kong Masters 2022 title in front of a world record audience of 9,000 fans on Sunday.

In an epic final between the two players, the English cueist O’Sullivan emerged victorious as he sealed a comprehensive 6-4 victory over Fu in the Best of 11.

O’Sullivan pulled ahead with an early 1-0 lead over Fu as he sealed the opening frame by crafting a magnificent 52 without conceding a point.

Fu, on the other hand, was quick to respond and he did so in a similar fashion as he made a break of 55 on his way to claim a frame while barring O’Sullivan from troubling the scoreboard and drawing level at 1-1.

O’Sullivan then anted his level up and sealed the next two frames. Breaks of 71 and 59 saw the world champion surging to an ominous 3-1 lead at the mid-session.

Fu had a chance among the balls, but a botched plant allowed O’Sullivan to step up and extend his lead to three.

The home crowd then found a moment to cherish in the sixth frame as Fu fired in a fine break of 98 to make it 4-2.

Fu then failed to carry on the momentum from that break and missed a cut back red; allowing O’Sullivan to punish as the latter pounced with 105 to move a frame within the victory at 5-2.

The home favourite then kept his hopes alive with a gutsy clearance of 35 after O’Sullivan missed pink on the yellow pocket. The three-time ranking event winner, as a result, took the ninth to make it 5-4.

O’Sullivan produced his best snooker just when needed, denying Fu a decisive frame with a remarkable century run of 114 to win 6-4.

It is pertinent to mention that this is O’Sullivan’s first title on the World Snooker Tour (WST) since sealing a historic record-equalling seventh World Championship crown at the end of last season.

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LAHORE: Pakistan’s professional snooker players Muhammad Asif and Asjad Iqbal departed on Friday for the United Kingdom (UK) to partake in the upcoming qualifiers for Scottish Open 2022.

According to the details, the national cueists faced Visa issues earlier and as a result, missed a few tournaments on the ongoing calendar of the World Snooker Tour (WST).

However, the duo of Asif and Asjad have now received their respective Visas for the UK and will be in action in the Scottish Open qualifiers starting on October 9.

Following their participation in the Scottish Open, whose draws are yet to be revealed, Asif and Asjad will also participate in all the remaining events of the WST.

Upon their departure to the UK, Asjad and Asif requested the nation to pray for their success and are hopeful of making the country proud.

It is pertinent to mention that the two cueists earned a two-year professional card following their successful outing in the recently-concluded Q School Asia-Oceania.

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MILTON KEYNES: Scottish professional Snooker player John Higgins completed an astounding feat as he became just the second cueist in the professional circuit to score 900 centuries.

Amid the second-round fixture of the ongoing British Open 2022, Higgins scored a century in the fifth frame to take a 3-2 lead over his Chinese opponent Yuan SiJun.

The century in the fifth frame against SiJun marked the 900th in the professional career of the Welsh cueist, who, as a result, became just the second snooker player to achieve the milestone.

Seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, however, is the first to achieve the feat and has currently the most number of centuries (1,172) in the span of his 30-year long career.

Higgins’ remarkable achievement was, however, spoiled by his opponent SiJun, who came from 3-2 down to defeat the former world champion 4-3 in the Best of Seven clash.

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MILTON KEYNES: The mixed pair of Australian and Thai cueists Neil Robertson and Mink Nutcharut outshined Mark Selby and Rebecca Kenna in the final to win the inaugural Mixed Doubles.

In a thrilling final of the championship, the pair of Robertson and Nutcharut outpowered Selby and Kenna by the scores of 4-2 in the Best of Seven.

The all-English pair of Selby and Kenna were off to a flying start as the duo pulled ahead with an early 1-0 lead after an impactful break of 40 from Selby that firmed their grip on the opening frame.

Robertson and Mink, however, were quick to react and they did so emphatically by claiming the next two frames and clinching the lead for the first time after the third frame.

The pair further enhanced their domination over Selby and Kenna as they claimed the fourth and their third overall frame to move within the victory.

With their rivals one frame within from lifting the title, the English pair ante their level up to bounce back and sealed the fifth frame to cut Robertson-Mink’s lead to 3-2.

The English pair, however, remained unable to emulate the outcome of the previous frame and to force a decider as Nutcharut trapped Rebecca behind a brown to leave a perfect safety after failing to pot a long red.

Rebecca though managed to escape from the snooker, however, left the red on the bottom left. Robertson then made no mistake to seize the opportunity and effortlessly cleared the table including outrageous flukes on the yellow and green for 47 and the title.

Neil Robertson and Mink Nutcharut are the inaugural @BetVictor World Mixed Doubles champions! 🟡🏆

They have defeated Selby-Kenna 4-2 and take home £30,000 each.#BVMIXEDDOUBLES pic.twitter.com/dOL0UWnoct

— WST (@WeAreWST) September 25, 2022

 

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BLETCHLEY: Pakistan’s professional snooker player Asjad Iqbal will take on England’s Mark Joyce in British Open 2022 qualifiers on August 13.

National cueist Asjad, who became the second Pakistani player after Muhammad Asif to turn pro in June this year following his exceptional run in the Q School Asia-Oceania, will be starting his World Snooker Tour (WST) campaign on August 13.

As the British Open 2022 qualifiers commenced on Tuesday, 80 cueists from around the world will be in action, in a bid to make it to the main round, comprising significant names in the sport.

Qualifiers for the @CazooUK British Open start this morning and run until Sunday!

Mink Nutcharut and Stephen Hendry are among those in action today 👇 #BritishOpen

— WST (@WeAreWST) August 9, 2022

 

The qualifiers for the event will take place from August 9 to August 14, while another Pakistan professional cueist Muhammad Asif was missing from the initial draws.

It is apropos to mention here that the main round of British Open 2022 will embark on September 26 and will conclude on October 2. China’s Zhao Xintong will be defending his title.

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FAISALABAD: Decorated Snooker player Mithu Jutt sealed an emphatic 3-1 victory over Rana Irfan in the final to win the Pakistan Royal Cup 2022 on Thursday.

Mithu faced off against Irfan in the final of the event, which featured 64 players from across the country, to be crowned champion.

In an exciting final between the two cueists, Mithu displayed sheer dominance over Irfan and ran away with the victory by 3-1 in the Best of Five.

Irfan started the match on a high as he took an early lead by claiming the first frame. Jutt, on the other hand, was quick to respond as he soon dominated the second frame to neutralize the former’s lead.

The cueist from Lahore, Jutt, fuelled with momentum, carried his march in the final as he claimed the next two frames to wrap up a scintillating victory over Irfan to lift the Pakistan Royal Cup 2022 title.

The organizer of the event, Shoaib Arif, later presented Jutt with the silverware and also a cash prize of PKR 200,000. The runner-up Irfan, on the other hand, received PKR 100,000.

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SALZBURG: The Dutch Pool player Neils Feijen carried on his magnificent run in the singles as he thrashed his Spaniard counterpart Francisco Sanchez Ruiz 9-4 to claim the 2022 Dynamic Billard St Johan im Pongau Open and extended his overall European title’s tally to 11.

In the final of the Pongau Open, the Dutch player rallied past Sanchez Ruiz 9-4 in the Best of 17 after a series of rock-solid performances.

In the final, Sanchez Ruiz after dropping the opening rack, bounced back in time as he reeled off the next three racks to take an ominous 3-1 lead over Feijen.

The two players then remained involved in a see-saw battle as both had visits and attempted to force an error from their opponents before Feijen potted the pink 4 in style to draw level with Sanchez Ruiz at 3-3.

The Dutchman, fuelled with momentum, carried on his unstoppable run as he claimed the next four racks to extend his lead to 7-3.

Sanchez Ruiz, on the other hand, was not done as he magnificently executed the one-nine combination with a jump shot to cut Feijen’s lead to 7-4.

The Spaniard’s retaliation, however, proved to be his last positive contribution in the match as an unlucky scratch in the next rack allowed the Dutch to run away with the victory as he claimed the next two racks with sheer dominance.

Following this title victory, the Dutch has extended his Euro title tally to 11; having won his last six years ago.

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KARACHI: The IBSF Under-21 World Snooker Champion Ahsan Ramzan along with coach Wahid Qadir received Visa to the United States of America (USA) to participate in the forthcoming World Games. 

For the upcoming World Games, scheduled to take place in Birmingham, Alabama, the Pakistani contingent comprising of the professional cueist Ahsan, his coach Qadir and the official Javed Karim have been granted Visas for the country.

The three-member Pakistan squad will report to the US on July 10 and will then start their preparations for the event.

The World Games are scheduled to take place in Birmingham from July 7 to 17. Ahsan will be representing Pakistan in the Snooker.

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