2nd April, Kuwait: Topseed, Hussain Al-Suwaidi of UAE won the opening leg of the 2009 Asian Bowling Federation tour season with an easy victory over Hong Kong's Eric Tseng in the title match, 215-146 to claim the ABF Tour Kuwait title.

Eric Tseng had made the finals after he ended the hope of local favourite by beating Khaled Al-Dubyyan, 211-190 in the second semifinals. The 21-year-old Hong Kong national kegler also took out another Kuwaiti, Yaqoub Al-Shati, 190-174 in the quarter-finals.

Tseng's most crucial win was when he edged three-time ABF Tour Kuwait leg champion and second-seed, Ryan Lalisang of Indonesia, 226-223 in the first round. But Tseng's superb run ended cruelly as he suffered three splits

and an open frame in the title match to literally hand the title to his opponent, Hussain Al-Suwaidi of UAE.

Hussain took the match easily with 215 after a faultless performance to win the Asian Bowling Federation Tour opening leg. The champion had earlier narrowly outsed Thailand's Somjed Kusonpithak, 238-224 in the first closely fought semi-final match.

"When Eric had three straight open frames, I just took it easy which allowed me not to make any mistake," said the 28-year-old Hussain, who was the second runnerup in the preceeding 6th Kuwait Open yesterday.

The Emirati, who has 9 perfect games to his credit and was the 2008 Asian Ranked No. 1, shot the highest game of the leg by trashing fellow-compatriot, Shaker Al-Hassan, 279-193 in the quaterfinals. Hussain also eliminated Kuwaiti, Dari Al-Amiri, 224-203 in the first round knockout match.

Fourth-seed, Wu Siu Hong of Hong Kong exited the competition after losing to Somjed 167-233 in quaterfinals while Basil Al-Anzi lost to Khaled Al-Dubyyan in the all-Kuwaiti quarterfinal encounter, 193-210.

The ABF Tour Kuwait leg was broadcast over Kuwait TV and the highlights will be telecast over the seven countries where the tour will be held this year. The next stop will be the Bahrain leg which will be held on April 12.

For further information and details, please contact ABF Tour Committee at Tel: +852 2893 6039, Fax: +852 2893 6290; Email: hktbc@netvigator.com or info@abftour.com.