Manan Chandra of India
breezed into the semifinals of the 2008 SangSom Suphan Buri Cup after
hammering first-time qualifier Thatchai Suksamran 4-0 in the
quarter-finals on Friday.
Also making their way to the semifinals,
although through a different route, were Thai snooker star Ratchapol
Pu-Ob-Orm and Noppadon Noppachorn.
Chandra played with ease and confidence and it became quite clear in the
first two frames of the match that Thatchai had little ammunition to
pull off an upset.
Thatchai had earlier made waves by edging 2007 Asian champion Supoj
Saenla, a two-time winner of the same event, 4-3 in the last 16 round on
Wednesday.
Chandra, a former No. 3 at the IBSF world championship, is now scheduled
to face Noppadon, winner of the world amateur title in 1991, in the
semifinals on Saturday afternoon at the Khum Suphan Hotel.
Noppadon showed nerves of steel as he edged past Chan Kwok Ming of Hong
Kong, a former world under-21 champion. It took Noppadon more than three
hours to score the 4-3 victory.
Ratchapol, also a former world champion, succeeded in avoiding a shock
defeat at the hands of young Chinnakrit Yaowannasiri, walking away with
the narrow 4-3 victory.
Ratchapol next plays on Saturday at 1 pm against the winner of last
evening clash between Issara Kachaiwong and Xiao Guodong.
Frame scores
Thursday night last 16 round: Surathep Phoochalam lost to Xiao
Guodong 3-4 (23-70, 60-32, 49-67, 91(53)-23, 17-83(72), 58-53, 46-67)
Friday quarter-finals: Manan
Chandra (India) beat Thatchai Suksamran 4-0 (65-15, 72-22-, 88-32,
66(65)-33); Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm beat Chinnakrit Yaowannasiri 4-3 (64-22,
41-83(53), 67-44, 113(113)-0, 26-79(51), 50-67, 61-10) |