Latest news with #Snooker
Time of India
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Bhopal's Kamal Chawla begins title defence with 4-2 win over Bahrain's Jaafar at IBSF 6-Red Snooker Worlds
Kamal Chawla, the defending champion, initiated his 6-Red Snooker title defense at the IBSF World Snooker Championships with a decisive 4-2 victory over Bahrain's Jaafar Alraees in Group 'A'. BHOPAL: International cueist from Bhopal, Kamal Chawla, began his 6-Red Snooker title defence with a 4-2 win over Bahrain's Jaafar Alraees in Group 'A' in the IBSF World Snooker Championships on Saturday. The 45-year-old Kamal showcased his expertise in the world championships. Playing at a steady pace, Chawla demonstrated excellent positioning and shot selection throughout the match. His opening frames were particularly impressive, displaying precise potting and tactical awareness. Despite holding an early advantage, the middle frames proved challenging as Alraees mounted a comeback with some determined play. The Bahraini player capitalised on a few unforced errors to claim two frames, bringing tension to the encounter. Chawla's experience proved crucial in the latter stages of the match. He regained his composure and controlled the table with measured safety play and clinical break-building. The final frame was particularly dominant, with Chawla allowing his opponent only four points. The victory marks a positive start to Chawla's title defence campaign in the championship. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo His tactical approach and careful shot selection proved effective in the shorter format of 6-Red snooker, where precision and positional play are paramount. The match statistics reflect Chawla's overall dominance, particularly in the opening and closing frames. His highest break of 43 in the fourth frame demonstrated his ability to construct meaningful scoring opportunities when presented with favourable table positions. This win places Chawla in a strong position in Group 'A', as he continues his quest to retain the championship title. His next matches in the group stage will be crucial in determining his progression to the knockout phases of the tournament.
Express Tribune
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Snooker success
Listen to article Pakistani snooker players have been orchestrating masterclasses in excellence, dominating the world snooker championships at masters and under-17 level. The annual tournament, organised this year in Bahrain by the International Billiards & Snooker Federation, is the premier amateur event on the snooker calendar. Muhammad Asif and teenager Hasnain Akhtar won their respective titles on the same day, and while Asif still had a competitive 4-3 win against his India rival, Akhtar routed his Welsh opponent without dropping a frame. Meanwhile, just a few weeks back, Pakistani cueists put up strong performances during the group stages of the Asian Championships, showing that despite having limited resources, minimal corporate patronage, and a backdrop of national challenges, our wealth of talent still shines through. However, it is worth noting that even in previous years, top Pakistani amateurs have not been able to dominate the professional game. In most instances, it is for the same reason: limited patronage from the state or corporate sponsors means many of our top amateur athletes lack the opportunity to hone their skills, and talent can only take them so far. This may be best summarised in the career of Mohammad Asif, who has been a dominant force at the amateur level for several years. He is only the second man ever to win three IBSF World Men's Snooker titles, yet he also only managed to reach a career-high professional ranking of 82 during the 2023-24 season. This is in stark contrast to several other talented amateurs who have gone on to have successful professional careers, backed in part by sponsorships that literally afford them the means and opportunity to participate in various international tournaments. Though it is not necessary for the government to provide patronage to every sport — especially at a time when it can barely provide patronage to health and education — it can still encourage private companies to support players, and citizens who claim to be sports fans can start actually going to watch them at the playing venue, instead of sitting home.
Daily Mirror
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Laila Rouass and Ronnie O'Sullivan's rocky 12-year engagement before wedding
Holby City and Footballers' Wives star Laila Rouass and Snooker champion Ronnie O'Sullivan have officially tied the knot after recently getting back together Laila Rouass and Ronnie O'Sullivan were engaged for 12 years before they finally tied the knot in a secret ceremony. The couple split nine months ago after previously spending over a decade together. But they got back together earlier this year and Laila confirmed the big news in a post on her Instagram account, which included a snap of the newlyweds after their ceremony. The Footballers' Wives star shared snaps of the couple standing outside St. George's Town Hall as they celebrated being newly weds. Snooker icon Ronnie wore a navy button-up shirt and matching trousers while Laila looked out of this world in a silk cream dress and cowboy boots. She completed her look with a Palestinian keffiyeh draped over her shoulders. She called for a "Free Palestine" as she said in the caption: "The Palestinians have taught me so much, most importantly to honour human connection, make love your motivator and to keep refreshing it. So after almost a year break…this was one way of pressing the refresh button. " it wasn't Venice…that was fully booked. It was Cable Street in Shadwell where I was born and where my heart belongs. It's where in 1936, local activists along with the Jewish community gathered together to demonstrate against the planned fascist BUF marchers and it's on their shoulders we stood today and said our 'I do's'. "The Battle of Cable Street was used by my father as an example of how a community rooted in justice, can bring change…that we all have a duty to fight for the freedom and rights of others." "The East End is the land of the immigrants. Its vibrancy, diversity and working class roots is something I treasure. I was born there, I was educated there, today I was married there and I will be buried there because my roots are my roots. Free Palestine. Mrs O'Sullivan." It has been said the couple are hoping to have a fresh start in Dubai after rekindling their romance. The Sun also outlined that O'Sullivan is planning to sell his home in Essex to relocate abroad, with Dubai just a two-hour flight away from the snooker academy that he has set up in Saudi Arabia. Ronnie and Laila had an on-off romance for years, with the two first meeting in 2012 and getting engaged a year later. Ronnie even became stepdad to Laila's daughter, Inez, from her marriage to Nasir Khan. However, they put any idea of marriage on the "back burner" as Laila said they were "enjoying their time" and there was "no rush". Their relationship soon struggled in 2022 and their split up. Laila, known for Holby City, wrote at the time: "After nearly ten years of love and memories, Ronnie & I have parted ways." It wasn't long before they worked things out, with Ronnie insisting he was "happier than ever". He said: "It's good. She's great. I love her. She's great company and I love being around her. She's very supportive. I have to behave myself. I know when to go, 'Alright, you're in charge'. But she's also really good at going, 'Listen, you've got a busy life, you've got a lot to do, just get on with it'." In 2024, their relationship hit another rocky patch as Ronnie moved out of their £2million home in Essex, with the couple listing the house up for sale. "They've tried so hard but they just can't make it work," it was claimed at the time. And now, the couple found their way back to each other again and tied the knot.
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Snooker party boy no-shows at major tournament as he holidays with new girlfriend instead
An active Snooker World Championship-winning player raised eyebrows after failing to turn up to the first tournament of the new season on Sunday. He was instead pictured with his new girlfriend in a picture posted to Instagram over the weekend just hours before his match was due to begin. Another snap saw the pair tucking into pizzas, with two wine glasses also visible on the table. Luca Brecel opted to skip qualifying at the Wuhan Open in China, where he was scheduled to face Pakistan's Haris Tahir, to spend time with his partner Shawney Demuyter instead. Brecel, 30, won the Snooker World Championship at The Crucible in Sheffield in 2023 with victory over Mark Selby. However, his failure to show up to qualifying in Wuhan saw him having to forfeit the match 5-0. As a result, Brecel will not be allowed to compete at the event - which takes place in the final week of August - and sees him miss out on a winners' prize of £140,000. The Belgian was a notable absentee among a host of recognisable names to have appeared in qualifying, with the likes of John Higgins, Shaun Murphy and Mark Williams all opting to play. Since winning the world title just over two years ago, Brecel has endured a dip in form that has seen him drop to 39th in the world rankings. He has also been open about how he felt under 'a bit of pressure' to perform more consistently after winning snooker's biggest prize. Speaking to The Sun after winning the tournament in 2023, he said: 'I bought two more cars this week, so I went from a millionaire to a non-millionaire. 'It was a conscious decision to buy the cars and maybe feel that bit of pressure again, to recreate the feeling I had of just starting my career.' Brecel has previously shared pictures onto his social media accounts of his Ferrari 488, worth an estimated £350,000. He's also enjoyed trips around the globe and recently admitted that he and his partner have visited '14 countries in four months' as he enjoyed his winnings. During one trip to Dubai, Brecel shared multiple snaps of the couple at high-end restaurant Hakkasan - where dishes can cost up to £300. In the same interview, the 28-year-old also admitted that he's been facing problems with his mindset, as he claimed: 'I didn't go lazy, but I just didn't feel that hunger or motivation going from tournament to tournament. 'I don't like that feeling and I had to change something. I wasn't feeling any pressure any more. I was just playing and if I lost I was happy to be home. It's not a good mindset to have.'
The Sun
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Record-breaking snooker star Jackson Page launches new side hustle after landing £147,000 bonus
SNOOKER star Jackson Page has put his historic £147,000 prize money to good use - and opened up his own shop. The 23-year-old made history earlier this year after becoming the first player ever to compile TWO 147 breaks in the same pro match. Page achieved the feat during a World Championship qualifying win over Allan Taylor in April. The Welsh star bagged a £147k bonus for his trouble - a figure he later described as "life-changing". Page declared he will use some of the cash to get on the housing ladder. But he's also poured some of the bonus into a new business venture. Page is now the proud owner of a trading card and collectables shop. He opened AJs Trading Cards in Brynmawr, south Wales, late last month. The store stocks collectables and toys ranging from Pokémon card to Lego. Page told the WST earlier this year: "Everyone on tour knows that I am really into collectable stuff like Pokémon Cards and other things. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK "I just decided it would be great to open up a shop as a bit of a thing on the side. "'It is a bit of an interest for me and something I like to do when I'm not focusing on snooker. "It has been a brilliant experience seeing it open up, I obviously can't work in there as I'm a snooker player but I've got someone to work there and it is a good hobby to have. "We've got all sorts of things in there like Lego sets and Plushies, as well as the trading cards. "We've got a few cards in there worth over £2,000. The most valuable and rare Pokémon card we have is called a Moonbreon." Page is currently ranked as the world No.33. He turned pro in 2019 and this year reached his first final at the Championship League. Despite bagging the huge 147 jackpot, Page claimed he would have swapped the money for a place at the Crucible. The Welshman narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Worlds, losing 10-7 to Joe O'Connor on Judgement Day. Page said: "Obviously the titles mean more than the money, so I'm still gutted. "You've got a chance of winning if you're there and I was here to win the tournament. I'm not now. 'I know this might sound silly but I think I'd rather be at the Crucible. 'Last year I was hammered (by Ronnie O'Sullivan) but I was there. I would like to end there, but I've just got to say to myself that I don't want to play at qualifying again."
