SNOOKER – Bahrain’s snooker superstar Habib Sabah bowed out of the opening event of the 2025-26 Q Tour Middle East last night.
The meeting is currently being held in Dubai, the UAE, and it is the first of four in this region’s World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) series.
Sabah was eliminated from further title contention after losing his best-of-five round-of-32 clash to Mina Awad of Egypt 1-3.
Sabah took the opening frame but then narrowly conceded the next two.
Awad then closed the contest out with a strong fourth frame to end the match with a final score of 29-63, 62-42, 54-44, 67-19.
A record 60 players from 11 countries started the competition in Dubai, which is scheduled to conclude tomorrow.
The Q Tour Middle East is part of the WPBSA Q Tour Global, which incorporates regional events held around the world, each offering access to an extended Q Tour Playoff at the end of the season, where World Snooker Tour two-year cards are on offer.
The second event of the 2025-26 Q Tour Middle East is scheduled to follow at the same Emirati venue from Thursday to next Sunday.
Last season’s Q Tour Middle East series featured three events – the first held in the kingdom, with the other two in Abu Dhabi.
Sabah was the winner of the Bahrain round, where he beat Ismail Türker of Türkiye in the final. Sabah went on to compete in the Q Tour Playoff, where he lost in the quarter-finals.
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