Incredible. That’s the only way to describe the final of the IBSF World Snooker Championship.
Incredible. That’s the only way to describe the final of the IBSF World Snooker Championship. Battle of nerve and mind. How else could one explain the way the finalists — Hossein Vafaei Ayouri and Lee Walker — fought it out for close to 10 hours. In the end, it was Iranian Ayouri who prevailed by a 10-9 margin.
The Karnataka State Billiards Association hall has not seen such intense action for quite some time. But on Saturday, the crowd got what they wanted. Full credit to Ayouri and Welshman Walker for providing an edge-of-the-seat entertainment.
Ayouri obviously deserves more praise for the way he handled the situation against a player who is more than twice his age and has spent 12 years in the English professional circuit. It’s an incredible moment for the 17-year-old from Abadan (near Tehran) just as it is for his coach and country.
The deciding frame was more than apt for a final, the stuff of movies really. Level at nine frames each, Ayouri seemed to have taken a vow to finish Walker off. Starting the 19th frame on a very aggressive note, Ayouri got as far as 45-0 but missed on potting the black on the top right pocket. Walker came back with a vengeance and made it 45-43 before very nearly missing out on the brown ball at the bottom pocket. He then cleared the blue ball at the right centre pocket but messed up with the pink. With the pink and black balls set up favourably, Ayouri was punching the air in ecstasy a few moments later.
The situation was never this tight, or would never have gotten this close.
Earlier in the day, Ayouri began the final on an aggressive note. His along-the-table potting was simply impeccable. Taking the first frame rather easily, he did not really have an answer to Walker’s break of 116 in the second, the only century break of the match. Ayouri moved to 7-3 before they broke off for a break.
When the second session resumed, Walker was in full flow and made an incredible comeback and came as close as 8-7. By now, it looked like the pressure was getting to Ayouri as he was missing pots and also making fouls. All the while, Walker was slowly building his game and there was a lot of safety play on show.
But, in the end, as Ayouri and his coaches put it, it was the will of God. Indeed, God has given Iran its first world champion in snooker.
Even as Ayouri spoke to his mother, who was crying and unable to express herself over the phone from home, he said: “The pressure got to me in the end. But I have learnt a bit about how to play under pressure. I thought I had him but Lee is a great player. I am just shocked; I don’t know what to say as I hold the trophy.”
A calm and composed Walker said: “He played well in the early stages. But even when I was down 3-7, I thought I had a chance. It is a bad way to lose. But Hossein is a great player, particularly for a 17-year-old.”
With this win, Hossein gets a ticket to play in the professional tour next year. He said he will be giving it a shot.
Results: Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Ira) bt Lee Walker (Wal) 10-9 (81-30, 5-121 (116), 72 (49)-0, 103 (56)-8, 76 (40)-49 (48), 5-83 (43), 62 (57)-59 (45), 74-15, 0-92 (87), 66-9, 53 (53)-75, 73 (59)-24, 5-123 (78), 14-80 (76), 46-80 (45), 73-43, 39-79, 52-57, 58-52 (51))
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