Caption: Ak Saiful Azri Pg Roslee in action at the 1st Zain 9-Ball Pool Open Championship last night. Picture: Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
THE 1st Zain 9-Ball Pool Open Championship kicked off last night with group A and B matches at the Master Alim Pool in Kiulap.
Ak Saiful Azri Pg Roslee, Md Haikal Qarin Hj Haironi Hamizin, Khalid Hj Abu Bakar and Md Azim Hj Abu Bakar all booked passage into the next round of the tournament winning their respective groups.
Ak Saiful Azri guaranteed his slot in the next round after defeating Md Haikal Qarin 7-3 in the final of group A with the latter confirming his berth after triumphing 7-5 against Mazdi Marsidi in the loser's bracket.
Khalid won group B beating Md Azim 7-3 after cruising past Pg Anis Mamduh Ikmaluddin Pg Hj Hussin with a similar scoreline.
Md Azim was relegated to the loser's bracket but bounced back with a 7-4 win against Pg Anis Mamduh Ikmaluddin to join Khalid in the next round.
Lim Young Wee in action at the 1st Zain 9-Ball Pool Open Championship last night. Picture: Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
A total of 48 cueists from the Sultanate and neighbouring Malaysian state of Sarawak and Sabah are participating at the event.
The tournament also features the only female cueist Fadia Nurul Huda Ibrahim from Sarawak.
"I am very pleased with the number of the competitors participating in this very first tournament… there were a lot more people trying to sign up for the event but we can only limit it to this number," tournament organiser Pg Md Faiq Hafizuddin Pg Hj Jalaludin told BruSports last night.
The only female cueist Fadia Nurul Huda Ibrahim from Sarawak. Picture: Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
Top ranked Ahmad Taufiq Murni is among the cueists competing at the tournament and he will take to the table today at 3pm.
Taufiq will be joined by other national cueists such as Lim Wei Kok, Pg Anak Hj Abdul Awadi ZH Pg Anak Hj Latifuddin, Hj Md Khairuddin Hj Hasnan and others at the tournament.
Organised by Master Alim Pool, the three-day competition offers a cash prize of $1000 and trophy for the champion.
It is competed in the double knock-out format in the qualifying round and single-knock out in the final round.
