Siddharth Parikh of Hindu Gymkhana and Arun Agrawal of Matunga Gymkhana had to work hard to win their respective quarter-final matches in the Rs 2 lakh prize-money P.J. Hindu Gymkhana Invitation Billiards Tournament 2016, and played at the Hindu Gyamkhana billiards hall.
Siddharth Parikh
The current World No. 3, Parikh had to bring out his best to overcome a sticky opponent Hitesh Kotwani also from Hindu Gymkhana by a 4-2 margin in the 150-up best-of-seven frames encounter. On an adjacent table, Agrawal was involved in a tense battle with Jaiveer Dhingra of Hindu Gymkhana before managing to pull through by a tight 4-3 margin.
Parikh lost the first frame but replied back in style winning the next three frames to gain a 3-1 lead before Kotwani won the fifth to reduce the deficit. But Parikh did not give the younger Kotwani much opportunities and went on to win the sixth frame to close out the match at 130-150, 150-113, 150-124, 150-09, 120-150, 150-48. Parikh produced breaks of 69 in the first frame, 106 in the second, 80 and 50 in the third, an unfinished 150 in the fourth, 66 in the fifth and 98 in the sixth, while Kotwani managed breaks of 80 in the first frame and 129 in the fifth.
Agrawal held his nerves to come through winning the long drawn battle by a 141-150, 50-150, 150-102, 150-57, 153-113, 117-152, 150-106 scoreline.
Meanwhile, reigning Asian Billiards champion Dhruv Sitwala and former World Billiard champion Ashok Shandilya easily won their quarter-final tie to take their appointed place in the penultimate round.
Results – quarter-finals: Dhruv Sitwala (PJHG) bt V. Subramanian (MG) 4-2 (50(138)-10, 127(88)-150(48), 150(77)-57, 30-150(98,49), 150(112)-03, 151(102 )-00).
Ashok Shandilya (RLY) bt Aditya Agrawal (PJHG) 4-0 (150(140)-15, 150(56)-143, 151(127 )-110(70), 150(105)-49).
Siddharth Parikh (PJHG) bt Hitesh Kotwani (PJHG) 4-2 (130(69)-150(80), 150(106)-113, 150(80,50)-124, 150(150*)-09, 120(66)-150(129*), 150(98)-48).
Arun Agrawal (MG) bt Jaiveer Dhingra (PJHG) 4-3 (141-150(57), 50-150(60), 150-102(63), 150-57, 153(77)-113(52), 117(58)-152(109), 150-106).
Semi-final pairings:
Dhruv Sitwala vs Arun Agrawal
Ashok Shadilya vs Siddharth Parikh