Hitesh Kotwani of Hindu Gymkhana continued with brilliant consistent showing, winning back to back matches in Group-D and topped the group with an all-win record and qualified for the quarter-finals of the Senior Billiards event of the BSAM Maharashtra State Senior Snooker & Billiards Selection (leg-2) Championship 2018, and played at the Bombay Gymkhana billiards room.
Hitesh Kotwani of Hindu Gymkhana scored three successive wins in Group-D matches of the BSAM Maharashtra State Senior Snooker & Billiards Selection (leg-2) Championship 2018
Having defeated 13-year-old Shahyan Razmi, the youngest participant, in his opening match, Kotwani maintained the winning momentum and prevailed over Amit Sapru of Park Club and Rishabh Kumar of Garware Club House by identical 3-1 frame scores in the best-of-5-frame race-to-100 points format.
Kotwani and Sapru both fought well and the scores ran close in all four frames. But, Kotwani who was making better contact with the balls compiled a sequence of fine breaks of 59, 75, 45 and 38 and went on to snatch a 100-78, 88-100, 100-52 and 100-47 victory. Sapru tried his best and managed two decent efforts of 52 and 36 in the first two frames.
Rayaa Razmi of Elphinstone CC finished on top of Group-B and advanced to the quarter-final round of the BSAM Maharashtra State Senior Snooker & Billiards Selection (leg-2) Championship 2018
Later, Kotwani after losing the first frame to Kumar came roaring back and with a 57 break pocketed the second to draw level before winning the next two to seal his this win.
Kotwani along with Kumar who finished in second place with two wins, advanced to the quarter-finals from this group.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Rayaan Razmi was in terrific form and hit up three substantial breaks of 76 and two unfinished efforts of 56 and 86 to defeat his senior and experienced Arun Agrawal by a convincing 3-0 (100-22, 100-79, 100-21) score line, in Group-B. The win placed Rayaan in the top spot while Agrawal was second and they both progressed to the quarter-finals.
Winner of the first leg, Rishabh Thakkar of Otters Club and Rajeev Sharma of Malabar Hill Club from Group-A and Vishal Madan of Chembur Gymkhana and Sparsh Pherwani of CCI from Group-C also made it to the round of 16.
Results – Round-robin league –
Group-A: Vignesh Sanghvi (Pune) beat Rishabh Thakkar (Otters) 3-2 (100(31)-60, 73-100(30), 73-100(56), 100-46, 100-21).
Group-B: Rayaan Razmi (Elphinstone) beat Arun Agrawal (Matunga Gym) 3-0 (100(76)-22, 100(56*)-79, 100(86*)-21);
Vishal Gehani (Park Club) beat Kreishh Gurbaxani (Khar Gym) 3-1 (100-94, 100-80, 53-100, 100-60).
Group-C: Vishal Madan (Chembur Gym) beat Carl Serrao (Dadar Club) 3-0 (100(30)-36, 100-27, 100(57)-16);
Sparsh Pherwani (CCI) beat Yash Rungta (Kandvali) 3-0 (100-68, 100-64, 100-58);
Group-D: Rishabh Kumar (Garware) beat Shahyan Razmi (Elphinstone CC) 3-1 (100-20, 100-74, 30-100, 100-68);
Hitesh Kotwani (Hindu Gym) beat Amit Sapru (Park Club) 3-1 (100(59)-78(52), 88(75)-100(36), 100(45)-52, 100(38)-47);
Amit Sapru (Park Club) beat Shahyan Razmi (ECC) 3-1 (100-55, 100-33, 70-100, 100-66);
Hitesh Kotwani (Hindu Gym) beat Rishabh Kumar (Garware) 3-1 (66-100, 100(57)-94, 100(30)-65, 100-82).