Pakistan’s Mohammed Asif aims for a shot during the group league match of the 6-Red Asian Snooker Championship at Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation Hall in Doha yesterday.
Doha: Ahmed Saif turning professional is a big boost for snooker and one which will motivate more players from the country to aspire for success, says Mohammed Mubarak Al Ramzani, President of Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation (QBSF).
Speaking to The Peninsula on the sidelines of the 6-Red Asian Snooker championship, Al Ramzani said: “First, I wish to congratulate Ahmed Saif on behalf of Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation for winning the Q School qualifying tournament in the United Kingdom and book a place on the professional Tour. His (Saif’s) feat has brought joy to all of us at the Federation and to the people of Qatar. He is the first snooker player to break into the pro tour from Qatar.”
Al Ramzani said the qualifying tournament in United Kingdon was not an easy cake walk for Saif.
“A host of former professional players competed in the UK event. The former professionals, who had dropped out from the tour for different reasons, were competing with some of the promising players, so Saif had to work hard for it. He kept his cool throughout the tournament and the rest is history as they say it. So, it is a very pleasant feeling for us, that he has qualified and will be eligible to play along with some of the world champions.”
The 29-year-old from Qatar was among the four players to make it through Q School qualifying event held at Sheffield, England, last week to earn a place on the World Snooker Tour for the next two years. Saif, beat Jamie Clarke 4-1 in the final round with a top break of 57 to become the first snooker professional from Qatar.
The QBSF official said Saif’s success will motivate the players, officials and coaches at the federation to improve the standard of the game in the country.
“His qualification makes us happy. It will make us work hard for more success, and we will also like to encourage him to continue with his success. He will be an example, a role model for his fellow players and for all the players who aspire to make it big in the sport.”
Al Ramzani said Saif will not be the first one nor the last as there were more talented players in Qatar waiting to move to the challenging professional tour set up.
“We hope in the next two or three years we have more players on the tour,” he said.
And, the QBSF president said the first year on the professional tour will be a learning experience for the Saif.
“The first year will be tough for him transiting from an amateur to a pro class. People should not accept quick results. We should be patient. His game will improve gradually as he will play some top level players throughout the year. When you play with high ranked player, definitely, your level will gradually improve. A higher level player will beat you some time but not all the time. Winning and losing is part of the learning process. So, Saif will learn from his mistakes, gain by playing against the top players of the world and become a top player,” said Al Ramzani.
Regarding the hosts player’s chances at the ongoing 6-Red Asian Snooker Championship Al Ramzani said the local players were getting use to the new format of the game.
“The format is new to our players and this is the first time they are taking part in a tournament of this nature. Even for our top players it is a complicated system, but, they are getting used to it.
Cueists from Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, China, Hong Kong, Iran, Iraq, Mongolia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Palestine, Jordan, besides hosts Qatar are taking part in the championship which ends with the final on May 27.
The Six-Red format is a shortened version of the game which features only six red balls on the table as opposed to the conventional 15. This is the first time the individual 6-Red Championship is been held in Qatar, an event sanctioned by the Asian Confederation of Billiard and Snooker Sports (ACBSS).
The individual event will be followed by the team event on May 28, in which Pakistan, Iran, Hong Kong, Kuwait, China, Iraq, UAE, Mongolia, Thailand, Afghanistan, Jordan, India, Singapore and Saudi Arabia will be seen in action.
Hosts Qatar will field two teams – Qatar A and Qatar B.
Last year, the QBSF hosted the Asian Snooker Championship, which saw Aditya Mehta beating Pankaj Advani in an all-India final.
QBSF also plays host annually to the World 9-Ball Pool Championship, which is contested by the top players of the world. This year’s championship will be held from September 2 to 13.
The Peninsula
