Seven billiards, nine snooker knockout qualifiers found
The 15th Asian Billiards and 17th U-21 Asian Snooker Championships, which is in progress at Hotel Ramada in Colombo, have reached the final stages of the preliminary round matches by yesterday.
Seven players have already reached the quarter-final stage of the 15th Asian Billiards Championship while nine players have made it to the pre-quarter-final stage of the 17th Asian U-21 Snooker Championship.
The Asian Billiards and Junior Snooker Championships are reaching the pinnacle at Hotel Ramada in Colombo -- Pix by Amila Gamage
Seven cueists, including the defending champion Dhruv Sitwala and 15-time champion Pankaj Advani, are among the top names to reach the knockout stage of the 15th Asian Billiards Tournament. Among others who are competing with intentions to reach the next level in addition to Indians Sitwala and Advani are fellow compatriots Siddharth Parikh and Sourav Kothari, Praprut Chaithanasakun from Thailand, Marlando Sihombing from Indonesia and Peter Gilchrist representing Singapore.
Stiff competition can be anticipated in the race to the Asian Billiards title between Indians Sitwala and Advani. Advani, the losing finalist of the previous edition will be aiming to take revenge from title holder Sitwala with the intention of winning the Asian title for a record sixth time.
In the U-21 Snooker, Yuan Sijun and Wang Yuchen — both of China –, Mohamed Fazil and Mohamed Shamil from Sri Lanka, Man Hoi Leong and Ka Wai Cheung from Hong Kong, Ratchayothin Yotharuck and Phuttakarn Kimsuk of Thailand and Kok Leong Lim were the early birds to book a berth in the pre-quarter-finals. The remaining slots to determine the competitors who will contest in the other empty slots in the qualifiers of both the billiards and snooker championships will be completed by today.
The two tournaments, held concurrently began on March 2, have so far completed 120 matches during the first three days. Eight grand tables are being used for the dual tournament.
The tournaments are conducted by the Sri Lanka Billiards and Snooker Association with the blessings of Asian Billiards Confederation with Pyramid, Wilmar and Fortune as the principal sponsor and Malship, Singer and Laugfs Gas as platinum sponsors.
Results:
Billiards:
Praprut Chaithanasakun (Thailand) beat Siddharth Parikh (India) 4-3 (101/84, 7/101, 101/38, 16/101, 60/102, 100/4). Marlando Sihombing (Indonesia) beat Infiyaz Farook (Sri Lanka) 4-0 (100/59, 101/43, 101/18, 100/51). Marlando Sihombing (Indonesia) beat M.J.A. Thasleem (Sri Lanka) 4-0 (101/12, 101/56, 100/58, 101/19). Hwang Chulho (South Korea) beat S.H.M. Aslam (Sri Lanka) 4-0 (101/35, 100/10, 100/51, 100/89). Sourav Kothari (India) beat Peter Gilchrist (Singapore) 4-2 (100/13, 101/25, 52/101, 101/64, 10/100, 101/12).
Snooker:
Man Hoi Leong (Hong Kong) beat Mohamed Fazil (Sri Lanka) 4-2 (59/42, 62/35, 36/52, 32/73, 68/3, 71/55). Abdulkarim Maksoud (Syria) beat Seyed Shahabaldin Abouzarian (Iran) 4-3 (53/82, 27/64, 87/17, 70/45, 30/61, 55/30, 70/8). Mohamed Rasheed (Sri Lanka) beat Sanghyeok Park (South Korea) 4-3 (27/78, 33/48, 58/17, 64/36, 49/77, 67/17, 83/50). Ratchayothin Yotharuck (Thailand) beat Min Wa Man (Hong Kong) 4-2 (69/56, 74/13, 51/87, 59/23, 52/72, 65/20). Mohamed Shamil (Sri Lanka) beat beat Mohammadreza Rafieyan (Iran) 4-3 (15/95, 26/102, 64/52, 64/43, 23/56, 59/2, 74/50). Daegyu Lee (South Korea) beat Mohamed Imaz (Sri Lanka) 4-2 (69/31, 37/66, 64/43, 16/49, 62/10, 95/22).