Saturday 10 May saw Sydney’s Hassan Kerde cap off a remarkable run at the World Seniors Snooker Championship by reaching the semi-finals at the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield (England).
It was a feat which may have surprised many followers of the game, given his tough draw in the preliminaries, but one that has firmly established him as a serious force on the international stage.
Mr Kerde’s campaign featured one of the biggest upsets of the tournament: a stunning 4-0 demolition of former world number two Tony Knowles in the round of 16.
That performance, clinical and composed, marked Hassan as more than just a feel-good story – he was there to compete.
He then defeated South Africa’s Charl Jonck by 4 frames to 2, to book a semi-final showdown with former gun professional Alfie Burden.
While Burden proved too strong, winning 6-2 and ultimately going on to lift the title, Hassan Kerde’s week at The Crucible was a career highlight – and a history-making achievement for an Australian Muslim competing in a discipline pursued by very few of our faith, especially at such an elite level.
“Making the semi-finals is a great achievement and I am pretty proud of myself,” Mr Kerde said.
“I probably only played to about 60 per cent of my full ability over there….I practiced hard and tried as hard as I could.”
“This time four months ago my shoulder was in a sling so to even qualify for this event, then have to fly 36 hours and compete with the best in the world, yeah, I am really pleased.”
“The conditions (at The Crucible) were unbelievable,” said. “I wish we had a setup like that in Australia.”
Hassan was quick to acknowledge those who helped make the journey possible.
“First, I would like to thank Jason Francis and World Seniors Snooker for the opportunity.”
“What a fantastic event – from the organisation, the staff and all the media…..everything is world class over there and I can’t wait to receive my wildcard to next year’s event.”
Hassan expressed special gratitude to sponsors Rodney and Yehia Rahal of Worldwide Confectionery and Jason Hastings of The Snooker Shop.
“I really appreciate what my sponsors have done for me and truly value their support.”
He acknowledged the emotional and logistical toll of travelling for high-level competition.
“Thank you to everyone in Australia for your support.”
“Being away from home, from my kids and my job, drained me a lot mentally but with people’s support and encouragement, it allowed me to push through.”
Hassan reserved special praise for his wife Saide, who accompanied him on the trip.
“Saide made me healthy meals, washed my clothes and gave me massages after my matches – as snooker really ‘kills’ your back….she was there for me every step of the way.”
Hassan now turns his focus to the upcoming World Amateur Snooker Championship in Bahrain in July, with the long-term goal of representing Australia at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics also remaining firmly in sight.
