Cue sports maestro and hot favourite Pankaj Advani of Bengaluru faced quite a stern test from Mumbai’s Nitesh Madaan, but managed to come out trumps registering a fighting 6-4 win in a best-of-11-frame quarter-final match of the Rs 12.5 lakh prize-money CCI Snooker Classic 2024, organised by the Cricket Club of India and played at the CCI’s Sir Wilson Jones billiards hall late Friday afternoon.
In the semi-finals, defending champion Advani, will meet Bombay Gymkhana’s ace cueist Laxman Rawat, the lone local challenger who fought hard to overcome a spirited Pushinder Singh 6-5 (68-66, 70-33, 28-81, 80-23, 54-82, 50-53, 40-73, 23-68, 83-39, 71-36, and 85-0) win in a nerve-wracking last eight match, which went the distance.
Advani, India’s most illustrious player with 27 World titles, came from behind to win the first frame. Madan, who also practices at the Bombay Gymkhana, rolled in a break of 50, but Advani made a strong reply compiling a 54 run to snatch the opening frame. The cue sports genius then constructed breaks of 78 and 50 to pocket the next two frames to race to a commanding 3-0 lead.
But, Madaan, not prepared to give up easily, won three successive frames to draw level at 3-all, before Advani once again showed his class, stitching together breaks of 59 in the seventh and 107 in the eighth to take a 5-3 lead. Madaan continued to fight and managed to cut the deficit by narrowly winning the ninth. However, India’s ace cueist Advani dashed Madaan’s hope by uncorking a craft break of 102 to clinch the 10th and complete a satisfying 61-51, 78-8, 75-2, 57-68, 4-61, 15-71, 89-9, 108-9, 54-65 and 102-0 frame scores win.
In the other quarter-finals, Kamal Chawla got the better Rayaan Razmi 6-4 (79-39, 55-66, 104-14, 90-0, 13-56, 5-78, 87-25, 29-69, 71-6, and 79-39) and Englishman Stephen Lee outdueled Vijay Nichani romping to 6-1 (71-18, 81-36, 102-0, 68-40, 98-29, and 65-29) win.
Results – Quarter-finals: Pankaj Advani bt Nitesh Madaan 6-4 (61(54)-51(50), 78(78)-8, 75(50)-2, 57-68, 4-61, 15-71, 89(59)-9, 108(107)-9, 54-65, 102(102)-0).
Laxman Rawat beat Pushpinder 6-5 (68-66(66), 70-33, 28-81, 80-23, 54-82, 50-53, 40-73, 23-68, 83(75)-39, 71-36, 85-0);
Kamal Chawla bt Rayaan Razmi 6-4 (79-39, 55-66, 104-14, 90(90)-0, 13-56, 5-78, 87(52)-25, 29-69(67), 71-6, 79(59)-39);
Stephen Lee bt Vijay Nichani 6-1 (71-18, 81-36, 102(66)-0, 68-40, 98-29, 65-29).
