Muscat continues to impress as the World Cup of Snooker … Singles Category enters its decisive stages today

Muscat: All eyes turn today (Tuesday) to the Active Oman Centre at the Oman Automobile Association, 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 until 23 November, 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.

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 Allawati voiced his pride in the Sultanate’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.

French player Gauvain Bazin, participating in a world-level championship for the first time despite over ten years of experience, also praised the outstanding organisation and warm reception. He noted the strong level of competition, pointing out that several centuries have already been recorded since day one. Bazan said he aims to secure his qualification to the knockout stage after losing his opening match.

The second day of the IBSF Oman World Cup of Snooker witnessed another round of intense group-stage action, as players continued their push toward the knockout rounds. Qatar’s Ali Alobaidli defeated Oman’s Abdullah Alraisi 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 Alkhusaibi 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 Alfarsi 3–1. China’s Deng Haohui beat Afghanistan’s Mohammad Zarif Afzali, and Egypt’s Hesham Shawky won 3–0 against Oman’s Musallam Almasahli.

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-frames 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.

The excitement continues tomorrow as the singles competition concludes before the tournament shifts to the team event, which runs until 23 November.