Advani survives, Joshi falters

PANJIM, JUNE 4
Pankaj Advani survived a scare from Ashok Shandilya to remain as the only player with one match loss in the 2nd Billiards Selection Tournament for Asian Games at Clube Tennis de Gaspar Dias, Mira Mar, on Friday.
Ashok fired on all cylinders to stretch Pankaj to limits but could not succeed in his endeavour as Pankaj characteristically raised his game to the optimum when needed most in the deciding game and won 3-2.
Geet Sethi had a mixed fortune as he won against Alok Kumar 3-1 but lost to Devendra Joshi 1-3. Sethi won the opening game with an unfinished 100 break, an unforced error while at 95 eluded Sethi the second game as Kumar came out with a brilliantly constructed 101 unfinished break to level the score. With the help of small runs Sethi won the third game and led 2-1. The fourth game saw Sethi at his best as he cued mellifluously and playing at the top of the table constructed another century break to win t3-1.
Sourav Kothari, who initially lost two matches, brought some parity in his performance by wining two consecutive games against Alok Kumar and Devendra Joshi by an identical margin 3-2.
Other results:  Alok Kumar bt Devendra Joshi 3-2.  0-102 (102); 18-100 (58); 100 (89)-05;100-29;100-90. Pankaj Advani bt. Dhruv Sitwala 3-2. 100-97; 60-100; 73-100; 100-09; 100-00. Sourav Kothari bt Devendra Joshi 3-2.  46-100; 100-06; 00-100; 100-43; 100-13. Sourav Kothari bt Alok Kumar 3-2. 48-100 (73); 101-37; 100 (70)-28; 39-101; 101-92. Ashok Shandilya bt. Devendra Joshi 3-2. 98-102; 100-76; 87-101 (67); 101-16; 101-13. Devendra Joshi bt.Geet Sethi 3-1. 100-83; 100 (72)-20; 73-100 (78); 100-62.
Geet Sethi bt Alok Kumar 3-1. 100 (100)-04; 95-101 (101); 100-50; 100 (100)-40.
Dhruv Sitwala bt. B Bhaskar 3-2. 48-102; 100 (70)-68; 00-100 (100); 100 (100)-95; 100 (50)-51. Pankaj Advani bt Ashok Shandilya 3-2. 76-100; 100-11; 100-45; 02-100; 100-43.