Joshi beaten in Asian billiards final

National Champion Devendra Joshi gave a lacklustre performance and went down tamely 5-0 against an spirited Ang San Oo of Myanmar in the final of the Asian Billiards Championships at Tehran, Iran.

Joshi missed number of openings and allowed San Oo to run away with a 3-0 lead leaving the crowd, expecting a keen tussle, speechless.

Joshi missed an easy pot on top table on a break of 55 to give another opportunity to San Oo to clinch the game with a 62 unfinished (unf) taking a 4-0 lead.

The fifth game was no different with Joshi getting just one good opening as San Oo, playing centre pocket in offs, made breaks of 54 and 40 to emerge the winner.

It was the maiden Asian billiards title for a Myanmarese while for the first time since the inception that a non-Indian won the event.

Aditya Mehta, the lone Indian survivor in the Under-21 Asian Snooker championships, went down fighting against top seed Kobpit Palajin of Thailand 5-3 in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, two Thai players will play with a Malaysian and Iranian for place in the finals.