Indian ace billiards players Sourav Kothari and Dhurv Sitwala won the silver and bronze medals respectively in the World Matchplay Billiards championship held at Carlow, Ireland on Sunday.
The Kolkata-based Kothari tripped at the final hurdle, losing rather tamely to Englishman David Causier 2-8 in the best-of-15-frame, 100up final.
Earlier in the semi-finals, India No. 2 Kothari, defeated Indian National champion and India No. 1 Sitwala 7-3 in the best-of-13-frame contest. Causier tamed countryman Martin Goodwill 7-2 to book his place in the final.
In the quarter-finals, the left-handed Mumbai-based Sitwala brushed aside the challenge from England’s fancied cueist Robert Hall 6-4 and Kothari sidelined reigning World champion Peter Gilchrist recording a 6-4 win to set up an all-Indian semi-final encounter.
In the other last eight matches, Causier was in great form and blanked host country’s Aidan Murray 6-0, while Goodwill prevailed over Peter Sheehan 6-2.
Results – Quarter-finals: Sourav Kothari beat Peter Gilchrist 6-4; Dhruv Sitwala beat Robert Hall 6-4; David Causier beat Aidan Murray 6-0; Martin Goodwill beat Peter Sheehan 6-2.
Semi-finals: Sourav Kothari beat Dhruv Sitwala 7-3; David Causier beat Martin Goodwill 7-2.
Final: David Causier beat Sourav Kothari 8-2.