Seasoned Railways challenger Rafat Habib played with solid determination and managed to overcome Madhya Pradesh’s Nikku Pillai 4-3 (64-18, 66-51, 50-58, 26-78, 71-13, 23-56, and 76-54) in an absorbing Senior Snooker third and final qualifying round match of the Khar Gymkhana presents CR Realty-Western India Billiards and Snooker Championships 2024, played at the Khar Gymkhana billiards hall.
In another match, Abhishek Bajaj of Mumbai’s NSCI club defeated his city mate Aditya Shandilya of Hindu Gymkhana 4-1 (77-33, 47-66, 66-34, 61-54, and 66-42) to progress to the tournament proper.
Delhi’s veteran cueist Anuj Uppal proved too good for Mumbai’s Brijesh Nanavati charging to a straight frames 4-0 win. Uppal compiled a break of 76 during his 69-44, 83-23, 82-11, and 64-31 victory to qualify for the main draw.
In another well-contested encounter, Gujarat’s Rutul Pambhar got the better Thane’s Krishna Tohgaonkar 4-3 (61-29, 60-7, 37-59, 72-19, 29-50, 1-66, and 82-20).
Results – Round 3: Janak Masand (Mum) bt Shubhojit Roy (Mum) 4-1 (47-61, 85-10, 71-50, 62-48, 55-48);
Anuj Uppal (Del) bt Brijesh Nanavati (Mum) 4-0 (69-44, 83-23, 82(76)-11, 64-31);
Rutul Pambhar (Guj) bt Krishna Tohgaonkar (Mum) 4-3 (61-29, 60-7, 37-59, 72-19, 29-50, 1-66, 82-20);
Oswald Massey (Guj) bt Mehul Sutariya (Mum) 4-2 (63-40, 26-59, 70-79, 75-30, 55-37, 89-49);
Devendra Patel (Mum) bt Ajinkya Yelve (Mum) 4-2 (44-64, 65-35, 89(49)-5, 57-28, 38-68, 55-27);
Anant Mehta (Mum) bt Swapnil Khaire (Mum) 4-1 (62-35, 83-90, 69-36, 72-46, 60-20);
Suraj Rathi (Pune) bt Gaurav Chhabra (MP) 4-0 (49-16, 65-25, 62-28, 69-44);
Abhishek Bajaj (Mum) bt Aditya Shandilya (Mum) 4-1 (77-33, 47-66, 66-34, 61-54, 66-42);
Rafath Habib (Rlys) bt Nikku Pillai (MP) 4-3 (64-18, 66-51, 50-58, 26-78, 71-13, 23-56, 76-54);
