Mohammed Shehab of UAE says he was close to breaking his cue after defeat to Thailand – Snooker news
Mohammed Shehab, who is representing United Arab Emirates with his teammate Mohammed Al Joker in the 2011 PTT-EGAT Snooker World Cup, was very frustrated on Tuesday, July 12 after a 1-4 defeat against Thailand A.
The A team of Thailand is being represented by the former world number 3, James Wattana and Dechawat Poomjaeng.
Wattana and Poomjaeng stormed into a 2-0 lead, as both of them easily won their opening frames against Shehab and Al Joker respectively.
Though the Emirati pair responded in the following third, doubles frame, with a classy break of 70 to come within one frame at 1-2, they lost the fourth and fifth again.
In the fourth frame, Wattana knocked in a carving break of 81 against Al Joker to restore his country’s two-frame lead at 3-1 before his teammate Poomjaeng downed Shehab in the final fifth frame to seal the match.
Shehab was very disappointed with the performance, as he told the media he was about to break his cue.
He stated they have lost because they are not used to the professional atmosphere. He believes he and Al Joker also have the same skills which Wattana and Poomjaeng have but they lost because they do not have the exposure.
While speaking on his inclusion, he said, “I was this close to breaking my cue. I was really frustrated. Deep inside, you know these guys are not better than you. I know I can beat them. I can do everything they can do on a table, but they have the advantage
of being used to this atmosphere.”
He added, “Me and Joker have hardly played in such an atmosphere. It is a true pro circuit atmosphere here.”
UAE began their campaign as an underdog and Shehab knows that. He admitted nobody in UAE was expecting them to win but on the same note, he said still he was disappointed.
“I know back home nobody is expecting us to do anything in this tournament, but you still feel hurt. So if I can be honest, I am really disappointed,” said Shehab.
UAE will play China next in the tournament and let’s see if they can produce something extraordinary, as China is one of the strongest teams in the Group B.
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