Sajjad blanks top seed in Bangkok snooker event

Pakistan’s top ranked cueist Muhammad Sajjad got off to a sterling start on the opening day of Sangsom 6-Red World Grand Prix Snooker Championship when he beat top ranked Scottish Professional John Higgins 5-0 in Bangkok, Thailand on Tuesday, according to a message received here. Higgins, who clashed Peter Murphy in World Championship at the Crucible in May, failed to match Sajjad’s cue control and potting and was completed routed. Sargodha-born Sajjad will be up against former World Champion Nappadon Noppachorn of Thailand in his second-round match. While Sajjad made great start, his compatriot Raees Aslam Khan was blanked 0-5 by England’s Peter Ebdon. Raees will meet Nappadol Sangnil of Thailand in his second-round match on Wednesday. Michael Holt of England registered the first maximum break of 75 in the fourth frame while beating Ang Boon Chin of Singapore 5-2. World’s top 48 professionals and amateurs are taking part in the event which carries lucrative prize money of Bahat 3.72 million with winners taking Bahat one million.