News & Updates
Highlights -
Day Five
Mike
Russell wins 10th World Professional Title
Final:
Mike Russell, finally get back his world title which he lost last year
to India's Pankaj Advani. This is his 10th Professional title. In the
final played today, he defeated India's Dhruv Sitwala 534 points. Dhruv
who made a surprise entry into the final by defeating two compatriots;
the last year winner Pankaj Advani in Quarter Final and Billiards
maestro Geet Sethi by one point in Semi Final, played well the final and
throughout the championship. He lost the first match of the championship
to compatriot Ashok Shandilya but managed to win all group matches, even
qualifying match against Mark Hirst he also won by one point only.
On the other hand, Mike
continued his form from Amateur's two world titles he won two months
back and won his 0th Professional title. He lost one match in league
stage by Robert Marshall only.
Highlights -
Day
Four
Dhruv
Sitwala pips Geet Sethi by 1 point!!
Semi Final:What
a fantastic advert for the game of billiards! Geet came to the table
with a little over 4 minutes remaining, following a missed square middle
bag loser from Sitwala. Racing around the table and fighting to get
position Geet pulled off some huge pressure shots, only to miss count
the number of red's
from the spot right at the death to trail by 3 points with seconds
remaining. A terrific screw loser from Dhruv's
cue ball into the green side top bag kept him at the table to the sound
of applause for the shot and then the sound of the clock having expired.
A massive miscalculation therefore cost Geet the match by the solitary
point, when it could quite easily have been a tie.
In second Semi Final, Mike
Russell outplayed his opponent David Causier by 246 points to meet Dhruv
Sitwala in the Final as another
major final awaits Dhruv, and maybe he can now go on and lift the title
he so badly deserves after having been the bridesmaid no fewer than 14
times in major events worldwide.
First Sessions of Semi Finals:
First Session of first semi final went in favour of Dhruv Sitwala over
billiards maestro Geet Sethi. Though Dhruv enjoying the lead but margin
is very less and Geet on strike with 41 on board. Hence the final score
at the end of first session is Dhruv Sitwala (536) and Geet Sethi (375 +
41 unfinished).
The
first session of Second Semi final dominated by Mike Russell. When clock
stops, Russell was on an unfinished break of 271 and enjoying a margin
of 273 points. The
final score at the end
of first session is Mike Russell (551 + 271 unfinished) and David
Causier (549).
Highlights -
Day Three
Quarter Finals:
After Qualifying for knockout stage from Group C as No.2, Dhruv played
against defending champion Pankaj Advani. Brilliantly crafted three
century breaks of 118, 109, 161 and a worthy 81 helped Dhruv to defeat
Pankaj Advani and move into Semi Final stage. Dhruv played very
confidently and with consistency. He went ahead 360 points when only 30
minutes left
in clock. Pankaj always known as for
his strong comeback tried hard to cover the lead but fall short on a
break of 184 and lost by 115 points when clock alarmed and failed to
defend his title.
In second quarter final,
Geet Sethi defeated Peter Gilchrist by 524 points. During his game, Geet
smashed 272 and 122 break while Peter was not able to cross even 100
mark break.
Third Quarter final saw
maximum number of century breaks so far. David Causier while
playing against Sourav Kothari crafted 6 century breaks i.e. 112, 195,
125, 170, 178, 185. Sourav also smashed 115 though in vain.
Mike Russell played against
Rupesh Shah in fourth Quarter Final where he crafted a break of 589 and
surpassed so far highest break of the tourney 517 crafted by Geet Sethi.
League Stage:
First session had to confirm the top slot for Group A and the contenders
were Pankaj Advani and Sourav Kothari from India where Pankaj sealed the
top slot for him crafting 255, 128, 103 break. Sourav just managed a
single century break before bowing down to Pankaj.
In a match of the championship so far, Dhruv Sitwala (India) beat Mark
Hirst by just one point before the clock stopped the game. Dhruv had to
win the match to qualify for knockout and he did the same by one point
in Group C.
After second session of day
three, top eight cueists for knockout stage got cleared and they are:
In Group A: Pankaj Advani,
Sourav Kothari (both from India)
In Group B: Geet Sethi,
Rupesh Shah (both from India)
In Group C: David Causier,
Dhruv Sitwala (from England and India respectively)
In Group D: Mike Russell,
Peter Gilchrist (from Qatar and Singapore respectively)
Hence five Indians
confirmed their berth in top eight position, one entry each for England,
Qatar and Singapore.
Highlights -
Day One
First two sessions were smooth and streamlined where we saw highest
break of 354 by Mike Russell against Ian Williamson. In an interesting
match, Ashok Shandilya defeated compatriot Dhruv Sitwala and Sourav
Kothari defeated Devendra Joshi.
The
third session remain very interesting where Double Crown holder of IBSF
championship, Mike Russell lost to Robert Marshall of England by 201
points. Robert Marshall made 308 (break) to defeat Mike Russell. This
308 is his highest break in Match.
In an
another match of Session 3,
Martin was 256
behind with around 30 minutes remaining (Pankaj on 659 at the time),
when Martin made a break of 141 to reduce the deficit to just 115
points. Pankaj then scored 9 and broke down, followed by Martin scoring
2 (pot white and double baulk). Martin then (with about 9 minutes
remaining), being 120 behind (miss 2 by Pankaj), made a break of 86
before sinking Pankaj’s cue ball accidentally during a drop cannon.
Pankaj then came to the table with 2 minutes left and made 13unf.
Last session had seen two
big breaks. One side David Causier compiled 340 against Ashok Shandilya
and on the other hand, Geet Sethi was first to cross 400 mark as he
scored a break of 452 against Bem French.
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