Prabhakar secures round of 64 spot in Doha
filed on Tuesday, November 21, 2017. 12:17pm PT/USA
With one group match remaining, Ajeya Prabhakar has guaranteed American representation in the elimination rounds of the Men's Event at the 2017 International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker Championships at the Al-Arabi Sports Complex in Doha, Qatar.
In his fourth Group H tie playing the undefeated Ka Wai Cheung, many may not have given much chance of a victory for the Californian over this talented 18-year-old from Hong Kong, but Prabhakar is a highly experienced player and tends to perform at the top of his game when least expected to.
After losing the first frame on the final colored balls, Prabhakar immediately hit back in the next frame however a break of 72 from Cheung took him to a 2-1 advantage.
Though from that moment on, Prabhakar proved what a steely performer he is as he won frame four on the colors to level the tie at 2-2, and then went into the lead for the first time at 3-2 up assisted by a run of 68.
The two-time United States National Snooker Champion wrapped up the match after decisively sealing the sixth frame for a brilliant 4-2 victory and to secure his place in the round of 64.
If Prabhakar wins his final Group H match he can top the group provided other results go his way, but finishing second is well within his grasp as he will take on Romania's Mihai Vladu, which will commence tomorrow, November 22, at 10am local time (11pm Pacific Time / 2am Eastern Time in the United States).
After suffering a 0-4 defeat to Muhammad Asif, Ahmed Aly Elsayed's hopes of advancing into the round of 64 are teetering on the edge and now must win his final Group F match to have any chance of grabbing that fourth place in the group.
The 35-year-old former IBSF World Snooker Champion from Pakistan was in good form against the New Yorker, and a break of 116 in frame two assisted him to a comprehensive victory.
Aly's final Group F opponent will be India's E. Pandurangaiah, with the tie getting underway tomorrow, November 22, at 10am local time (11am Pacific Time / 2am Eastern Time in the United States).
Omar Balsara was involved in yet another tight tussle in his penultimate Group C match this time against the home player Bashar Abdulmajeed.
Balsara, playing on his debut in international competition for the United States, has performed exceedingly well and despite another close 3-4 group loss in which he compiled a break of 62 in the second frame, because of his narrow defeats if he wins his final group match he will secure fourth place and advance into the round of 64.
Balsara's last Group C match will be against Yazan Alhadad, who is a 15-year-old player from Syria, with the tie commencing tomorrow, November 22, at 10am local time (11pm Pacific Time / 2am Eastern Time in the United States).
Aly's Men's Event playing schedule:
(start times are stated in local time, +11 hrs PT in the United States)
Group F Match 1: November 18, 10am start - lost to Ko Htet (Myanmar) 0 - 4
Group F Match 2: November 19, 1pm start - defeated Emad Seif (Yemen) 4 - 0
Group F Match 3: November 20, 10am start - lost to Mateusz Baranowski (Poland) 2 - 4
Group F Match 4: November 21, 1pm start - lost to Muhammad Asif (Pakistan) 0 - 4
Group F Match 5: November 22, 10am start - vs. E. Pandurangaiah (India)
Prabhakar's Men's Event playing schedule:
(start times are stated in local time, +11 hrs PT in the United States)
Group H Match 1: November 18, 4pm start - defeated Amir Abushamsiya (Palestine) 4 - 2
Group H Match 2: November 19, 4pm start - defeated Enes Bakirci (Turkey) 4 - 0
Group H Match 3: November 20, 4pm start - lost to Siyavosh Mozayani (Iran) 0 - 4
Group H Match 4: November 21, 1pm start - defeated Ka Wai Cheung (Hong Kong) 4 - 0
Group H Match 5: November 22, 10am start - vs. Mihai Vladu (Romania)
Balsara's Men's Event playing schedule:
(start times are stated in local time, +11 hrs PT in the United States)
Group C Match 1: November 18, 10am start - lost to Matthew Roberts (Wales) 2 - 4
Group C Match 2: November 19, 10am start - lost to Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) 3 - 4
Group C Match 3: November 21, 10am start - lost to Bashar Abdulmajeed (Qatar) 3 - 4
Group C Match 4: November 22, 10am start - vs. Yazan Alhadad (Syria)
SnookerUSA.com will be following the progress of all the United States players, and reporting on all of their matches.