Ali Al Obaidly edges Saudi rival in thrilling 10-Ball World Championship opener
DOHA: Qatari cueist Ali Al Obaidly began his campaign at the 10-Ball World Billiards Championship with a hard-fought 9-8 victory over Saudi Arabia’s Khalid Al Ghamdi. The event, hosted by the Qatar Billiard and Snooker Federation, runs until November 2.
Al Obaidly, a former individual Snooker World Champion, will next face former world champion Carlo Biado of the Philippines in the second round of the winners’ bracket.
It was a mixed start for the rest of the Qatari contingent, as Abdul Latif Al Fuwal, Mishal Al Ali, Mohammed Al Yafi, and Mansour Al Obaidly all suffered opening-round defeats but remain in contention through the losers’ bracket.
Among Arab competitors, Kuwait’s Bader Al-Awadi, Egypt’s Mohamed Amara, Syria’s Mohamed Al Soufi, Lebanon’s Mohamed Ali Barjawi, and Iraq’s Louay Shaker and Haider Abdulstar advanced to the next round. International standouts such as Germany’s Jason Shaw, the Philippines’ Edwin James, Ukraine’s Sanjin Believanovich, and Austria’s former world champion Albin Oshan also secured opening victories.
