India No. 1 and national champion Ishpreet Singh downed Gujarat’s, Dhvaj Haria, ranked fifth in the country,7-3 to win final of the “The Yasin Merchant Snooker Challenge-2022”, hosted by Khar Gymkhana in memory of their umpteen times national champion Shyam Shroff, here today.
Ishpreet, who is also ranked second in Asia,was picture of calm composure even after the youngster from Ahmedabad Haria blanked him in the second frame. After leading 3-1 in the 13-frame title round, Ishpreete hit back with telling effect as he overcame 15 points deficit to clinch the fourth frame. However, Haria, too, struck a puple patch in the next two frames to make it 3-4.
Ishpreeet, who again rallied from 26-52 in the eight to edge him 53-52 , followed it by superb century break in the next, which really sealed hapless Haria’s fate. Haria did put up a semblance of fight in the 10th frame, but it was Ishpreet who kept ahead to wrap the trophy round. Ishpreet triumphed 70-56, 00-128 [B66], 88 [B53]-30, 67-38, 78-71, 51-58, 20-58, 53-52, 110 [B102]-00, 64-56.
Earlier, Ishpreet and Dhvaj scored contrasting wins on their way to the title round While Ishpreet, the home favourite, routed another India stalwart Laxman Rawat 6-0, in a thoroughly one-sided affair, Haria had to fight all the way after leading 4-1 to get the better of higher ranked Manan Chandra from PSCB 6-4 in the best of 11 frames.
Results: (Semifinals): Ishreet Singh bt Laxman Rawat 6-0 (64-33, 84-20, 70-24, 79-21, 69-5, 70-1); Dhvaj Haria bt Manan Chandra 6-4( 16-71, 65-29, 65[B54]-16, 63-60, 73[45]-19, 22-95, 56-48, 46-78, 27-77 [B50], 69-39). (Final): Ishpreet Singh bt Dhvaj Haria 70-56, 00-128 [B66], 88 [B53]-30, 67-38, 78-71, 51-58, 20-58, 53-52, 110 [102]-00, 64-56).