CHENGDU, China, Aug 11 :Pakistan’s billiards maestro Muhammad Asif staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Germany’s Alexander Widau 2-1 in a pulsating Group B clash at the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China on Monday.
The high-stakes encounter at the Civil Aviation Flight University’s Tianfu Campus Gymnasium had fans gripping their seats as momentum swung wildly between the two cue masters.
The German challenger drew first blood, dominating the opening frame 43-29 with clinical precision. Undeterred, Asif responded with a masterclass in the second, firing a spectacular 116-09 reply – the tournament’s highest break so far to level the contest. The decisive frame became a tactical chess match, with both players trading safety shots before Asif pounced on a critical error by Widau to seal a dramatic 67-32 victory and book his quarterfinal berth.
“This was pure test of nerve,” an elated Asif told APP..
“When Widau took that first frame, I knew I had to dig into my deepest reserves. That century break was crucial. It broke his rhythm and gave me the psychological edge.”
The victory marks Asif’s second consecutive win in Chengdu, following his straight-sets demolition of China’s Liang Xiaolong. He has made it to the knockout stage now.
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