Matunga Gymkhana’s seasoned cueist Heman Adani and Radio Club youngster Rayaan Razmi, both comfortably sailed into the third round after winning their respective second round matches by the same 3-1 margins in the Matunga Gymkhana 9-Red Open Handicap Snooker Tournament 2017, which is sponsored and hosted by Matunga Gymkhana and played at the gymkhana’s billiards hall.
Arantxa Sanchis advanced to the second round of the Matunga Gymkhana 9-Red Open Handicap Snooker Tournament 2017
Adani (+35 handicap) with a steady performance defeated Ajinkya Khalkar (+35 handicap) 83-45, 70-99, 97-61 and 96-71, while the flamboyant Rayaan (+29 handicap) played confidently against Siddesh Mulay (+35 handicap) and scored a 75-36, 55-69, 78-38 and 77-69 victory.
Meanwhile, Arantxa Sanchis, winner of multiple billiards and snooker titles, at International, National and State levels, also advanced to the third round. Arantxa (21 handicap), posted a 3-1 win against Jayesh Chaudhrey (+39) with the scores reading at 62-54, 65-46, 32-73 and 71-68.
In other second round matches, Rakesh Trivedi (+29) fought hard to overcome Sauvick Mallik (+25) by 3-1 margin with the scores at 48-73, 64-51, 91-75 and 58-49, while Sanjeev Bijlani (+29) outplayed Param Bhagia (+39) and raced to a 3-0 win and with the frame scores showing a comfortable 69-59, 91-66 and 75-70 triumph.
In one the toughest encounters, Suraj Rathi (+20) held his nerves in the final frame to score a 3-2 win against Mangesh Gurav (+35) to also advance to the third round. The frame scores ran level till 2-2 and in the final frame, Rathi stayed calm and won it by a narrow margin to complete a 37-62, 76-35, 76-43, 33-77 and 79-72 victory.
Results – (round 1): Anish Jhaveri (+35) bt Aum Parmar (+35) 3-2 (77-56, 61-81, 54-68, 86-76, 83-49); Ranjeet (+35) bt Suresh Sawant (+35) 3-1 (60-67, 82-52, 87-54, 97-43).
Round 2: Rakesh Trivedi (+29) bt Sauvick Mallik (+25) 3-1 (48-73, 64-51, 91-75, 58-49); Sanjeev Bijlani (+29) bt Param Bhagia (+39) 3-0 (69-59, 91-66, 75-70); Tushar Pankhania (+32) bt Dwimidh Agrawal (+39) 3-1 (73-45, 48-74, 74-63, 81-74); Arantxa Sanchis (+21) bt Jayesh Chaudhrey (+39) 3-1 (62-54, 65-46, 32-73, 71-68); Heman Adani (+35) bt Ajinkya Khalkar (+35) 3-1 (83-45, 70-99, 97-61, 96-71); Rayaan Razmi (+29) bt Siddesh Mulay (+35) 3-1 (75-36, 55-69, 78(22)-38, 77-69); Dhawal Karia (+35) bt Nakul Patil (+39) 3-0 (82-68, 74-41, 82-56); Anmol Gangwani (+39) bt Mazhar Ali (+39) 3-0 (86-55, 84-58, 90-50); Suraj Rathi (+20) bt Mangesh Gurav (+35) 3-2 (37-62, 76-35, 76-43, 33-77, 79-72).