Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif beats seven-time world snooker champion to qualify for British Open 2023

An undated photo of Pakistani snooker player Muhammad Asif. (Photo courtesy: @WeAreWST/Twitter)
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  • Muhammad Asif beat Scotland’s Stephen Hendry 4-2 in British Open 2023 qualifying round
  • Pakistan’s Asjad Iqbal will face China’s China’s Tian Pengfei in qualifying round on Wednesday

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani snooker player Muhammad Asif defeated seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry on Monday in the first round of the British Open 2023 tournament in Leicester 4-2, eliminating the legendary player to secure a berth for himself in the tournament. 

The Pakistani professional player, who earned a two-year professional card at the World Snooker Tour (WST) in June 2022, defeated the Scottish champion 4-2 in the best of seven match. 

Hendry started the qualifying match of the tournament with an impressive 73 but finished with a 66 as his South Asian rival won the next three frames.

“Muhammad Asif has beaten Stephen Hendry 4-2 to qualify for the Cazoo UK British Open,” World Snooker Tour announced on Monday via the messaging platform X.

 

 

In the fifth frame, Hendry made a stunning comeback to snatch the game in his favor by beating Asif 74-43. However, Pakistan’s world No.81 won the next frame by playing a break of 66, making it to the last 64 players who would be playing the finals in England’s Cheltenham city next month.

Pakistan’s Asjad Iqbal is also taking part in the qualifying round and will square off against China’s Tian Pengfei on Wednesday. 

British Open 2023 first round scores

Muhammad Asif 4-2 Stephen Hendry

Si Jiahui 4-1 Lukas Kleckers

Ma Hailong 4-2 Ian Burns

Ishpreet Singh Chadha 4-1 Manasawin Phetmalaikul

Fergal O’Brien 4-1 Andres Petrov

Alfie Burden 2-4 Ken Doherty

Tom Ford 4-1 James Cahill

Ben Mertens 4-2 Louis Heathcote