Former world champion Mohammed Asif advances to pre-quarterfinals of IBSF World Snooker Championships 2019
Mohammad Asif won consecutive matches to make it to pre-quarterfinals and stay in contention for regaining top honours in the IBSF World Snooker Championships in Turkish city of Antalya.
Mohammad Asif won consecutive matches to make it to pre-quarterfinals and stay in contention for regaining top honours in the IBSF World Snooker Championships in Turkish city of Antalya.
37-years-old Asif survived a scare to post 4-3 victory over Russian Ivan Kakovskii in the marathon last-64 round to sneak into last-32. After a brisk start that gave him 2-0 lead, Asif lost the grip conceding next three frames to trail 2-3 in the best of seven clash.
However, with rich experience under his belt, he regained his touch winning the last two frames and the match, thanks to a break of 51 in the last frame. Earlier, Ivan had slammed a century break of 112 in the fifth frame.
The final score line was 87-37, 71-42, 35-64, 32-66, 13-112, 85-22, 101-0.
Second seeded Asif then had to comeback twice in his match against Israel's Shachar Ruberg to inflict a 5-3 defeat with the scores of 65-9, 23-109, 47-75, 93-0, 20-51, 62-19, 74-17, 66-55.
Asif conjured up three magnificent breaks of 65, 53 and 74 in the fourth, sixth and seventh frames while his opponent piled up break of 96 in the second.
Asif had blanked another Israeli cueist Daniel Rand 4-0 in the league match. He is drawn to meet Australian James Mifsud in the last-16 match.
