PLYMOUTH billiards player Chris Coumbe is hoping to build on an encouraging performance at the World Championships in Singapore.

Coumbe reached the last 16 of the sport’s top event, eventually going out to world number six Peter Sheenham.

In his group, the Plymouth star lost a close match to Liskeard’s Chris Mitchell but won his other three matches to progress to the knock-out stages.

In the last 24 he beat France’s Akhilesh Mohan before losing to Sheehan.

“He’s a top player (ranked 6th in the world) so I knew I had to play well to have a chance,” said Coumbe. “It was a two-and-a-half hour match which was good, longer than the usual match length we would play, but I didn’t really get going unfortunately.

“But overall, fairly happy with the way I played and hopefully can build on this at the next event in Scotland at the end of January.

“I did have a great time.”

He added: “The venue was amazing and tables superb, but much more demanding than standard tables so that needed some adjusting.”

Before the World Championships, Coumbe took part in the Singapore Open, which was used as a warm-up event.

He also reached the last 16 of that event. He won two of his three group games, only losing to 19-times New Zealand champion Gary Oliver, before beating Northern Ireland’s Korbin Lowe in the last 32. But he went out to eventual champion Peter Gilchrist in the last 16.

“It was a tough draw as he’s one of the all-time greats,” said Coumbe.