Rrahul Sachdev of Mumbai is on song and he record his second century effort in the competition as he staved off a solid challenge for Delhi’s Anuj Uppal carving out a satisfying 4-3 win in a round of 32 best-of-7-frame match of the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) organised ‘Baulkline’ NSCI Rs 13 lakh prize-money All India Snooker Open 2023, at the NSCI billiards hall, on Wednesday.
The left-handed Sachdev had constructed a break of 101 in the initial phase and he seemed to have maintained the same of level of consistency as he rolled in a controlled break of 115 in the second frame and a break of 72 in the fifth to clinch a 56-10, 120-11, 8-63, 8-79, 95-18, 15-84, and 74-5 victory to advance to the pre-quarter-finals.
Reigning champion Sourav Kothari (PSPB) dished out another strong performance and constructed a superb 114 run in the third frame en route to a quick demolition of Nitesh Madan (Rly) winning by a convincing 4-0 (72-0, 71-37, 124-0, and 52-25) frame scores margin.
The top three India snooker players, Kamal Chawal (Rly) the National champion, and Mumbai contenders Sparsh Pherwani, the National runner-up and Ishpreet Singh Chadha, the third ranked Indian comfortably won their respective round of 32 matches.
The lanky Chawla who compiled a break of 64 in the fourth frame got the better of seasoned Mumbai player Yasin Merchant 4-1 (31-78, 57-46, 71-21, 91-8, 77-13). The talented Mumbai players Pherwani blanked Haryana’s Rajat Kaneja cruising to quick 4-0 (66-20, 64-57, 87-29, and 79-30) and Chadha prevailed over his city mate Mahesh Jagdale (Mum) 4-1 (72-58, 34-66, 63-5, 80-34, and 81-0). Chadha had noteworthy runs of 52 and 81.
Meanwhile, seasoned pro Devemdra Joshi (PSPB) is going great guns and continues to march ahead. Joshi produced another vintage performance and sent Ranveer S. Marwa crashing out by recording a well-deserved 4-3 (16-77, 66-69, 61-49, 75-52, 63-49, 13-79, and 62-52) victory to book his place in the last 16.
Results –
Round of 32: Rrahul Sachdev (Mum) beat Anuj Uppal (Del) 4-3 (56-10, 120(115)-11, 8-63, 8-79, 95(72)-18, 15-84, 74-5); Kreishh Gurbaxani (Mum) beat Amee Kamani (MP) 4-0 (73(57)-18, 108(63)-8, 105(69)-20, 74-11); Kamal Chawla (Rly) beat Yasin Merchant (Mum) 4-1 (31-78, 57-46, 71-21, 91(64)-8, 77-13); Ishpreet Singh Chadha (Mum) beat Mahesh Jagdale (Mum) 4-1 (72-58, 34-66, 63(52)-5, 80-34, 81(81)-0); Sourav Kothari (PSPB) beat Nitesh Madan (Rly) 4-0 (72-0, 71-37, 124(114)-0, 52-25); Sparsh Pherwani (Mum) beat Rajat Kaneja (Har) 4-0 (66-20, 64-57, 87-29, 79-30); Brijesh Damani (PSPB) beat Vishwajeet Mohan (Mum) 4-3 (53-77, 108(74)-0, 30-76, 75(55)-25, 73-24, 22-69, 65(59)-31); Devemdra Joshi (PSPB) beat Ranveer S. Marwa 4-3 (16-77, 66-69, 61-49, 75-52, 63-49, 13-79, 62-52).