Muhammad Asif’s journey for a gold medal at the World Games came to a halt on Wednesday when he was defeated 2-0 by China’s Zhao Guodong in the snooker semi-finals. Despite putting up a brave fight, the 36-year-old Pakistani player was unable to overcome Zhao, who is ranked 14th in the world, and who secured a straightforward victory.
Asif, who had been in excellent form throughout the tournament, will now set his sights on the bronze medal match. Although his hopes for a gold medal were dashed, his performance leading up to the semi-final had been nothing short of impressive.
Earlier, Asif had dominated in the quarter-finals, where he comfortably defeated Britain’s Zac Cosker. He won both frames, claiming a 79-15 victory in the first and an 89-31 win in the second, the latter powered by a brilliant break of 51 points.
The World Games, held in Chengdu, China, brought together over 4,000 athletes from around the world, competing in 34 different sports. Snooker, a fixture in the Games since 2001, continues to showcase the talents of top cueists, with 12 players battling for the coveted gold medal this year.
Asif, a seasoned player and former IBSF World champion, secured his spot in the World Games after a stellar performance at the IBSF World Men’s Snooker Championship last year in Doha. His remarkable success continued with a win at the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship in Bahrain, where he triumphed 4-3 over India’s Brijesh Damani to claim his sixth world title.
Now, Asif is focused on finishing strong and hopes to secure the bronze medal, adding another achievement to Pakistan’s legacy in the sport.
