SPORT Saturday 19 November 2016 PAGE | 21 PAGE | 23 Du Plessis Murray eases cchargedha with ball past Wawrinka to tampering reach semi-finalsals Snooker: Saif to lead Qatar's challenge at Doha Worlds The Peninsula ver 130 players includ- ing defending Ochampion Pankaj Advani of India will vie for top honours at the 2016 IBSF World Championship which begins today at the Al Sadd Stadium here today. Ahmed Saif, who created history four years ago by becoming the country’s first snooker player to turn pro- fessional, will lead Qatar’s challenge in the men’s section. Bashar Hussein, Abdula- tif Fawal, Mohsen Bukshaisha, Abdullah Al Suwaidi and the Obaidly brothers — Ali, Mohanna and Khamis — are the other members of the eight-member squad which will be seen in the championship. World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad (left) of Egypt in action against World No.1 Mohamed El Shorbagy of Egypt in the final of the Qatar Classic 2016 at the The Qatar players have Khalifa International Squash Complex yesterday. Pics by: Kammutty VP / The Peninsula been training at the Qatar Bil- liards and Snooker Federation (QBSF) Hall under the watch- ful eyes of English coach Alan Trigg, who replaced compa- Gawad reigns supreme in Doha triot Mike Russell last year. The event is contested in the Men, Women and Masters Armstrong Vas I performed today. From the category with each sending a The Peninsula first time, I was under pres- maximum 3 players in Men, sure. When you are a world 3 Players in Masters and 4 he reigning world "Being World champion, people expect you Players in Women competi- champion Karim to win and that you have a big tion. Each region is also Abdel Gawad beat Champion and chance to win. That is a new allowed to send the winner two-time defend- Qatar Champion element I had to integrate in of its regional ing champion and sounds good, my preparation.” championship. Tworld number one Mohamed “I wanted to take a good A total of $16,000 is up El Shorbagy in an all-Egyp- really good. I’m start, but also I knew that I for grabs in the men's event tian final of the 2016 Qatar living the could never relax against of the championship, being Classic squash tournament at somebody like Mohamed. hosted for the first time in the the Khalfa Tennis and Squash dream!” And I’m very happy to win in GCC. Complex yesterday. three against him. It’s never The women's event car- In a repeat of their world finished with him. But next ries a $6,000 purse while championship semi-final in season, I’m aware I’ll have to $8,000 is at stake for the Cairo, in-form Gawad won in make sure I’m very consist- master players. The winner straight games, despite Gawad said: Being World ent if I want to stay in of the championship highest fiercely contested first two Champion and Qatar Cham- competition with the top break in the men's category sets which went to extra pion sounds good, really boys. I always enjoy coming will receive $500 cash reward points. good. I’m living the dream” to Qatar, it feels like home, plus certificate. For women, The first game took 30 "Mohamed and I have so many Egyptian support it’s the highest break will fetch minutes, the second over 20, been competing in the juniors amazing,” Gawad said. $200 and for the masters' but the third was much since the age of eight. I know World number one El $300. quicker as Gawad closed out there are many more battles Shorbagy said that Karim The Qatar championship the match on his second to come. This is only the deserves to be the champion. players list is packed with star match ball after 67 minutes. beginning,” the Egyptian “It was a great match, and the Qatar Squash Federation President Nabeel Ali Bin Ali handing over the names. Commenting on his back to world champion said. best player on the day won,” Besides Advani, the other trophy to Qatar Classic winner Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt. back victories, the champion “Very happy with the way he said. top cueists to watch out for in the men's event are 2012 champion Muhammad Asif of Pakistan, China's Chen Zifan, Iran's Amir Sarkhosh and Peter McCullagh of Australia Qatar gears up to host twin ITTF events among others. Advani defeated China’s Zhao Xintong 8-6 in last edi- The Peninsula Team Table Tennis Champion- a big company like Seamaster Tour events qualify for the tion’s final at Hurghada, Egypt ships in 2004. involved with our two events in tournament. to win the title. atar host of the 2016 ITTF Doha is one of the most Doha,” enthused Al Mohannadi. They will be joined by the top The championship has World Tour Grand Finals established members of the ITTF “It’s with great pleasure for Qatar 8 men's and 8 women's pairs on been dominated in recent Qand the Star Awards Gala World Tour the hosting of the that we are able to secure sup- the World Tour doubles point years by cueists hailing from is aiming to deliver a ‘perfect event in Doha reflects the efforts port, and also to secure such high ranking, as well as 8 men's and Asia. In fact, eight out of the show’ from December 8 to 11. of QTTA to encompass the whole level events with the long term 8 women's Under-21 players, to last nine winners have come “We will be working hard to gambit of activities. and massive support of our round up the success year of the from the continent – includ- ensure that the 2016 ITTF World “QTTA has been a long time Olympic Committee and ITTF World Tour in 2016. ing each of the last six. Tour Grand Finals and ITTF Star organizer on the ITTF World government.” Additionally, provided the In the women's section, Awards will be presented at a Tour with the yearly Qatar Open The 2016 ITTF World Tour eligibility regulations are met, four-time world champion higher level than the table ten- and it has been a long term goal Grand Finals will be held in the the host association is eligible to Wendy Jans of Belgium is set nis world has ever seen," said to host one day also the prestig- state-of-the-art Ali Bin Hamad be represented in each event. to continue her dominance as Khalil Al Mohannadi (pictured), ious year-ending Grand Finals,” Al Attiya Arena which opened The 2016 ITTF World Tour is she comes up against a field the President of the Qatar Table added Al Mohannadi. Seamaster has come on board only one year ago for the 2015 categorized into three tiers which includes Ng On Yee of Tennis Association (QTTA) and “We are so happy to bring for our two prestigious end-of- World Handball (highest first): Super Series (6 Hong Kong, the finalist at the the Deputy President of the the event to Doha in 2016”, the year events,” said Thomas Championships. events), Major Series (6 events), 2012 event in Bulgaria, Thai- International Table Tennis Fed- QTTA President said. Weikert, ITTF President. The grand finals will engage and Challenge Series (8 events). land's Nutcharat Wongharuthai eration (ITTF). The hosts along with the Chi- Al Mohannadi, President of the world's best table tennis Along with the World Tour and Jessica Woods of Australia. Qatar is no stranger to host- nese shipping company QTTA and Deputy President of players flocking to Doha to com- Grand Finals, Doha will also host The IBSF sanctioned tourna- ing top level table tennis events, Seamaster has secured the nam- the International Table Tennis pete, as only the top 16 men and the fourth edition of the ITTF ment will conclude on having organized the ITTF World ing rights for forthcoming the Federation, welcomed the sup- 16 women who have accumu- Star Awards December 8 to cel- November 30. Today’s action Tour Qatar Open (Super Series twin ITTF events in Doha. port from Seamaster. lated the most points in the 'Race ebrate the table tennis stars for begins at 10.00am at Al Sadd since 1997) and the ITTF World “The ITTF is very happy that “We are thrilled to have such to Doha' over the 20 ITTF World their achievements in 2016. Stadium. SPORT SATURDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2016 21 Noren's South Africa captain Du Plessis charged with ball tampering money-list DubaiDubai his mouth. fine of 100 percent match fee, show solidarity to what has R Reuterseuters "The charge relates to two suspension points and four been something we actually charge blunted changing the condition of the demerit points. Two suspension thought was a joke. It's not outh AfricaAfri captain Faf du ball in breach of Law 42.3 and points equates to a ban of one April," Amla said, hours before by late bogeys PlessisPlessis (pictured)(p has been has been laid by the ICC Chief test match. the ICC charge was announced. Schargedcharged withw ball tamper- Executive David Richardson Earlier in the day, Hashim "But the allegations against Dubai inging during thet second Test who has exercised his right to Amla was accompanied at a Faf were really, for us, a ridic- Reuters againstagainst AustraliaAustra in Hobart, the do so," the ICC said in a media briefing by the entire ulous thing and as a team we InternationalInternational Cricket Council statement.