Hamza returns to World Tour

Hamza Akbar

WITH a new visa in hand, Oldham-based snooker professional Hamza Akbar is getting back down to business.

The 23-year-old returned to England on Monday evening and is already busy preparing for the Welsh Open, which begins in Cardiff next week.

AGONISING

It has been a agonising two months for Akbar, who practices at the Oldham Snooker Academy in Osborne Mill.

The Pakistani flew to Islamabad on December 4 and applied for a Tier Five Sports Visa five days later.

However, it wasn't until January 30 that it was finally issued.

Akbar missed the qualifiers for the China Open, German Masters and Scottish Open, and has seen his ranking slip to 103.

He needs to pick up results and fast to avoid 'Q' School qualifying in May when a limited amount of places are available on the World Snooker tour for those outside of the top 64 players.

Akbar's manager Mohammed Nisar said: "He has been able to practise at the Agricultural University in Faisalabad - it houses a snooker academy - but the tables are different to what he has been used to on tour.

"He has been doing that and chasing his visa.

"He needs a couple of wins now to give him a boost financially and also for his confidence as he's got a big four months coming up.

"It's been hard for him, but it's sorted now and we must thank Simon Brownell at World Snooker a she worked tirelessly on half behalf."

The Welsh Open starts on Monday - the draw hasn't taken place yet - and is followed by the Coral Snooker Shoot-out in Watford at the end of February.

CHAMPION

Akbar faces 2015 World Champion Stuart Bingham in the first round.

It's then on to the Gibraltar Open in March, before the attentions switches to World Championship qualifying in April.

Nisar added: "He's really got to knuckle down, because he has some important matches in front of him."