Malabar Hill Club cueist Rajeev Sharma potted fluently and quiet consistently and produced two notable breaks of 43 (1st frame) and 36 (6th frame) and went on to halt the fine run of Aakash Ramteke by clinching a 5-2 (47-14, 39-9, 26-25, 18-32, 36-39, 43-8, and 36-1) victory in the best-of-9-frame quarter-final match of the Matunga Gymkhana organized Rs 2.04 lakh 6-Red Open Snooker Tournament, conducted under the auspices of BSAM, and played at the gymkhana’s billiards hall. The tournament is being supported by Pidilite Industries Ltd, Nagee Cues and Himatlal Doshi.
Hindu Gymkhana’s Hitesh Kotwani also progressed to the semi-final by scripting an identical 5-2 win against Umesh Barwe. In a well-contested match, Kotwani lost the frame, but bounced back to complete a 16-49, 45-6, 41-11, 6-37, 53-0, 45-19 and 39-13 frame score win.
NSCI marker Ajinkya Yelve also produced a steady performance and constructed a break of 40 in the se cond frame and went on to overcome Sumit Saldurkar by a comfortable 5-2 (14-45, 60-6, 22-41, 47-6, 35-26, 40-15 and 33-21) score line.
Vinay Swaminathan completed the semi-final line-up as he got the better of Jigar Shah storming to a fluent 5-1 (34-14, 39-7, 21-28, 36-34, 42-0 and 45-35) success in another last eight encounter.
Results – Quarter-finals: Hitesh Kotwani bt Umesh Barwe 5-2 (16-49, 45-6, 41-11, 6-37, 53-0, 45-19, 39-13); Ajinkya Yelve bt Sumit Saldurkar 5-2 (14-45, 60(40)-6, 22-41, 47-6, 35-26, 40-15, 33-21); Rajeev Sharma bt Aakash Ramteke 5-2 (47(43)-14, 39-9, 26-25, 18-32, 36-39, 43(36)-8, 36-1); Vinay Swaminathan bt Jigar Shah 5-1 (34-14, 39-7, 21-28, 36-34, 42(37)-0, 45-35).