Arora lone Indian to win on opening day of world u-21 snooker

Vasco, Aug 22 (UNI) India won one and lost two of their first three matches on the opening day of the Vascon-Manisha World Under 21 IBSF Snooker Championship at the Bogmallo Beach Resort here today.

Shivam Arora beat Sweden's David Appelbeg 4-1 but Balaji Reddy and Younis Kuchey lost their matches.

Balaji from Bangalore had a chance to beat former Asian u-21 champ Moh Keen Hoo of Malaysia when he led 2-0 but finally went down loosing 4-2. Hoo scored a superb comeback to win 58-70, 55-58, 67-9, 100-28, 79-21, 65-44. Hoo had an 88 unfinished break in the fourth frame and a 67 in the fifth, which settled Balaji's aspirations. Shivam Arora won 91-8, 53-41, 55-68, 57-30, 86-52. The third frame he lost on the black ball.

Singapore's Lim Jia Sheng beat the third Indian in the fray Younis Kuchey, 4-3, the scores being 61-21, 40-90, 84-6, 17-61, 1-60, 71-15, 65-25.

Indian coach Subhash Agarwal said, ''The results were expected, but Balaji could have won. Our main hopes are Shahbaaz Adil Khan, Rishab Pandya and Shivam Arora.'' Netherlands Joeri Reisig beat Adam Grabish of Australia 4-2.

Joeri won 40-62,58-30, 66-27, 13-65, 64-28, 59-51.

The Chinese contingent arrived only after the first matches had begun. They had visa problems but did not intimate the organizers.

Thus Yu Delu had to forfeit his match against Sweden's Christoffer Koba.

IBSF President Pascal Guillaume from France and Manisha Constructions Managing Director Rajan Khinvsara, who is also the vice president of the Billiards and Snooker Association of Maharashtra, the host Association, inaugurated the championship.

The results: Group A: Michael Georgiou (Eng) bt Gailums Tomass (Latvia) 4-0 (51-45, 59-32, 56-50, 72-1); Ahmed Ghulam Muanedi (Bah) bt Sohrabi Aya (Neth) 4-1 (41-46, 69-1,69-39,70-10, 57-24).

Group B: Moh Keen Hoo (Mal) bt Balaji Reddy (Ind) 4-2 (58-70, 55-58, 67-9, 100-28, 79-21, 65-44); David Meier-Bailey (NZ) w/o Omar Alkojah (Syr); Vincent Muldoon (Ire) bt Yassen Hatem (Egy) 4-0 (74-8, 79-19, 40-12, 90-1).

Group C: Davy Pauly (Bel) bt Nedal Al-Bakshy (Saudi Arabia) 4-1 (65-2, 37-64,92-7, 56-46, 102-24). Lim Jia Sheng beat Younis Kuchey, 4-3 (61-21, 40-90, 84-6, 17-61, 1-60, 71-15, 65-25).

Group D: John Loh (Mal) bt Hussein Alwatani (Bah) 4-1 (4-54, 59-50, 63-27, 51-37, 66-30.

Group E: Robbie Williams (Eng) bt Thor Chuan Leong (Mal) 4-2 (81-47, 74-46, 43-54,40-49, 63-37, 84-28).

Group F: Christoffer Koba (Swe) w/o Yu Delu (Chn); Daniel Wells (Wales) bt Abdullah Al-Sobhy (Saudi Arabia) 4-0 (102-7, 65-24, 79-4, 58-9).

Group G: Shivam Arora (Ind) bt Douglas Appelberg (Swe) 4-1 (91-8, 53-41, 55-68, 57-30, 86-52); Passakorn Suwannawat (Thai) bt Abdulla Ibrahim Hassim Abdulla (UAE) 4-0 (60-3, 86-32, 86-7, 61-24).

Group H: Joeri Reisig (Neth) bt Adam Grabish (Aus) 40-62, 58-30, 66-27, 13-65, 64-28, 59-51).

UNI