The 22nd Sharp-Cosmos UAE Open Snooker Tournament was officially inaugurated by Shaikh Mohammad Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum at the Dubai Snooker Club yesterday.
A quality field of 128 snooker players from the UAE are expected to compete for a total prize fund of Dh50,000.
The championship is scheduled to conclude before the start of Ramadan.
The qualifying rounds are presenting in progress.
Among the past winners of the Sharp-Cosmos championship were: Eisa Al Syed (2001, 2000); Mohammad Shehab (1999, 1998, 1997), Ajay Parekh (1996); Masood Akil (1995); Mohammad Shehab (1994).
Two-time winner Shehab heads a strong field.
Ram Buxani of title-sponsors Cosmos-Sharp, who was present at the inauguration yesterday, has expressed his pleasure to see the revival of the tournament after a two-year absence.
Buxani noted that when the tournament started 24 years back there were only a few local players.
"But today 90 per cent of the competitors are nationals," he said.
Buxani highlighted the role that he tournament has played in promoting the sport in the country.
