IBSF Chief Richard Gets Second by Sports Reporter Billiards and Snooker Federation (QBSF)
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FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 4 NNBABA | Page 6 Rodgers Nets defeat praises Celtic Grizzlies, halt aft er League three-game Cup glory losing streak Tuesday, November 28, 2017 CRICKET Rabia I 10, 1439 AH Warner, Bancroft GULF TIMES pile on Gabba misery for England SPORT Page 2 IBSF WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS Advani storms to another Wendy Jans wins the women’s world title in Doha world title for sixth straight year By Mikhil Bhat men’s fi nal at Al Arabi Sports Club In- at 2-2 armed with breaks of 59, 38 and Doha door Hall yesterday. 37. Jans then won three straight frames, The men’s fi nal, that saw Advani with the penultimate one going the lift his third IBSF world snooker title, closest at 63-54. It’s all about momentum,” Pankaj lasted more than fi ve hours. Earlier, “It is great to have another title but Advani said yesterday. Belgium’s Wendy Jans tightened her I think it will be more diffi cult in the And the momentum was with stranglehold on the women’s crown, future because the younger players are the Indian champion, who won winning her sixth straight IBSF world getting better and better. But we will “his second world title in a span of three title and seventh overall, while Welsh- see what happens next year. This year, weeks in Doha yesterday. man Darren Morgan picked up his I am happy that I have won my seventh The 32-year-old won his 18th world fourth Masters title. title. Over the moon,” Jans told Gulf title when he beat Iran’s Amir Sarkhosh Jans beat Thailand’s Waratthanun Times yesterday. 8-2 in the Sukritthanes 5-2. It was the fi rst time Talking about younger players, her IBSF World in the tournament she lost more than fi nal opponent was 11 years her junior. Snooker one frame to her opponent. “Maybe it’s my experience that has got Champi- The 34-year-old opened with two me through the last couple of years, but onship 40-point breaks going 2-0 up, before I think it will end one day. Hopefully her 23-year-old opponent levelled the not too soon,” Jans, who has won the fi nal up European and the Belgian titles too this year, said. Morgan too remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, beat- ing England’s Aidan Owens 6-3 in the fi nal yesterday. With mighty breaks of 112, 83, 58 and 55, 51-year-old Morgan won his fourth Masters title, and fi rst since 2012. Even as both Jans and Morgan cel- ebrated their victories, Sarkhosh had won the fi rst frame 71-19, and Advani had a few close calls in the frames af- ter that winning the second and third frames 79-53 and 98-23 respectively. The fourth frame had to be decided IBSF World Snooker Championships men’s winner Pankaj Advani (fifth from right), women’s winner Wendy Jans (fifth from by repotting the black, with the scores left) and Masters winner Darren Morgan (fourth from left) pose with their respective trophies, and QBSF president Mohamed tied at 62-62, before Advani went 3-1 Mubarak al-Ramzani (foreground), secretary general Mohamed Salem al-Nuaimi (left), IBSF president Mubarak al-Khayarin up, and eventually 4-1. (fourth from right) and other off icials yesterday. PICTURES: Ram Chand Sarkhosh then struck back with a 134-point break to pull one back to try “There are days when you don’t re- tired. It took all my energy away.” feel a little bit like a veteran now really,” and shift the momentum. ally have such a great run. Nonetheless, Advani, however, was all praise for he said. “I thought to myself that I have to it’s been a great run over the period of the 26-year-old from Iran. Advani himself is no stranger to win the next frame, because I got to three weeks. I am so relieved and ex- “He has had a great tournament re- knocking the doors of international keep my nose ahead,” Advani told Gulf cited and happy that I have ended on a ally. This was his fi rst fi nal. We are good snooker stardom, having won his fi rst Times later. “I think that frame that I high note.” friends, we have mutual respect for IBSF world snooker title at the age of 18 played, I gave it my all to make it 5-2. Sarkhosh rued the three close games each other. So you know I would like to in 2003. And from there really there was no he had to endure on his way to the fi - congratulate him as well for a wonder- “I remember how those years were. looking back.” nals. His marathon semi-fi nal against ful event,” he said. I played fearless. I played a different Four straight frames and Advani compatriot Ehsan Heydari Nezhad gave After 18 world titles, does it ever get brand of snooker then. There is more was all smiles regaining the title he him less than 12 hours before the fi nals easier? finesse, more refinement (now). Back had last won in 2015. after he mounted a fi ghtback from a 3-6 “The pressure is always on you be- then I went for shots that I wouldn’t “I couldn’t have asked for a better defi cit to eventually win 7-6 on Sunday cause everyone expects you to win. go for today. So I am more measured trip. Obviously, three titles are better night. I played three young guys in the last in my approach. Well at the same India’s Pankaj Advani than two, it would have been an icing “I started well but then I should have three rounds. In the quarters, I played a time, there is a good and bad with kisses the winner’s on the cake but I am human,” said Ad- won the fi rst two or three frames, but I Chinese kid (Luo Honghao, 17, in quar- it. You are gaining experience, but trophy after he won the vani, who won the 150-Up billiards title didn’t,” Sarkhosh said through a trans- ter-fi nals), then I played the Austrian sometimes you are too guarded, too IBSF World Men’s Snooker almost two weeks ago at the same ven- lator. “That would have given me a good kid (Florian Nüßle in semi-fi nals) who conscious,” he said. Championship at Al Arabi ue before losing out in the semi-fi nals lead. But yesterday, I had a really tough was even younger, barely 15, and Amir is For now, he is going back to his “fam- Sports Club yesterday. of the long-up format. match in the semi-fi nals. I was a bit about 26, six years younger than me. I ily, enjoy my Christmas and New Year”. LIGUE 1 PSG to return to Neymar puts PSG on cloud nine at Monaco Qatar for winter training camp AFP league goal this season and 22nd in also fi red a free-kick narrowly over. Paris all competitions, when he met a cute Veteran Portuguese midfi elder Paris Saint-Germain will head to cutback from Julian Draxler on 19 Joao Moutinho pegged Paris back Qatar for a short training camp minutes and toe-poked it into the top with a free-kick nine minutes from during the French league win- dinson Cavani and Neymar corner. time that struck Mbappe’s head on ter break in December, the club were both on target as Paris Neymar had rattled the post and the way into the corner, but Monaco confirmed yesterday. The PSG Saint-Germain edged cham- Monaco nerves swiftly after the re- could not fi nd an equaliser. squad will fly to Doha after their pions Monaco 2-1 to climb start before winning a penalty as Al- “It’s diffi cult against this team final Ligue 1 game of 2017 at home Enine points clear atop France’s Ligue mamy Toure ran into him. with so much quality in it,” Monaco to Caen on December 20 and will 1 on Sunday. Cavani had promised reporters midfi elder Fabinho told French tel- stay there until December 23. The But it was a frustrating night in the Neymar would take PSG’s next spot- evision. Qatar-owned club will stay and principality for the world’s most ex- kick and so it was. “It’s working very well in midfi eld train at the Aspire Zone facility. PSG pensive teenager, as Kylian Mbappe The Brazilian, who had inspired a with Marco (Verratti) and (Julian) spent time in Tunisia during last missed a raft of chances on his return 7-1 Champions League thrashing of Draxler,” PSG midfi elder Adrien Ra- season’s winter break but this will to the club who will bank $214.8mn Celtic in midweek, coolly sent Mona- biot said, after all three were impres- be their fifth trip to Qatar since the when his switch to PSG becomes per- co ‘keeper Danijel Subasic the wrong sive. Qatar Sports Investments takeover manent at the end of the season. way with a confi dently-struck pen- Earlier Sunday, Memphis De- in 2011. Unai Emery’s team are PSG now have 38 points from 14 alty on 52 minutes. pay starred with a double as Lyon unbeaten this season and moved games and are unbeaten, nine points The home side may have sold sev- thumped Nice 5-0 on Sunday to nine points clear at the top of Ligue clear of Lyon and Monaco, with Mar- eral of their title-winning stars in the move into second behind Paris.