Defending champion Laxman Rawat maintained his winning form as he outshone Hasan Badami charging to a 6-3 victory in the best-of-11-frames round 16 match of the ‘NSCI Baulkline 3.0’ All India Snooker Open 2024, played at the NSCI billiards hall on Tuesday.
The Mumbai-based Rawat stamped his dominance with three significant breaks of 69 (2nd frame), 65 (5th frame) and they signed off with a stupendous century effort of an unfinished 112 break to quash the hopes of a spirited Badami of Mumbai who had two decent breaks of 65 and 50.
In the most interesting match of the day, Mumbai’s Rayaan Razmi ground out a hard-fought 6-5 win against Md. Hussain of Madhya Pradesh to move into the quarter-finals. In an engrossing battle for supremacy, Rayaan managed to stitch together a timely break of 66 to win the decider and clinch a 34-80, 93(53)-1, 83- 39, 70-6, 41-77, 22-123(59*), 62-58, 15-72, 74-48, 13-58, and 79(66)-31) victory.
In two other matches, Varun Kumar comfortably defeated Anurag Giri 6-2 (40-75, 85-25, 119(58)-6, 69-45, 56-25, 62-26, 19-57, 54-51), while Shoaib Khan prevailed over Mumbai youngster Sumer Mago 6-4 (64-49, 73-5, 29-59, 40-77(51), 70-36, 71-54, 0-76, 63-51, 53-65, 54-24) to also progress to the quarter-finals.
Results – Round-16: Laxman Rawat bt Hasan Badami 6-3 (77-17, 74(69)-21, 70-23, 63-1, 118(65)-9, 9-92(65), 20-66, 22-58(50), 112(112)-6).
Rayaan Razmi bt Md. Hussain 6-5 (34-80, 93(53)-1, 83- 39, 70-6, 41-77, 22-123(59*), 62-58, 15-72, 74-48, 13-58, 79(66)-31);
Varun Kumar bt Anurag Giri 6-2 (40-75, 85-25, 119(58)-6, 69-45, 56-25, 62-26, 19-57, 54-51);
Shoaib Khan bt Sumer Mago 6-4 (64-49, 73-5, 29-59, 40-77(51), 70-36, 71-54, 0-76, 63-51, 53-65, 54-24);
