Pankaj Advani gave enough reasons to believe that he was running into form as he played a solid game to win both his knockout matches and enter the men's quarterfinal of the IBSF World Snooker Championships.
The 29-year old Bengaluru-based Advani smashed a brilliant 126 en route to overcoming compatriot Laxman Rawat, whom he dubbed as "the future of Indian snooker" 5-2 in the round of 32 and then carried the momentum into the pre-quarterfinal clash with Ryan Causton, defeating the Englishman 5-0, posting three half-centuries in the process.
Awaiting Advani, holder of 12 World titles, in the quarterfinal is China's 14-year old prodigy Yan Bingato who crafted a brilliant 109 clearance en route to a 5-1 win over India's Varun Madan. In the previous round, Bingato had put out Welshman Gareth Allen, who made the tournament's highest break so far of 134, 5-3.
"I am feeling more comfortable now and made a few frame-winning breaks which mattered most for me. I was especially happy to win the second frame against Causton after trailing by some 60 points and I thought that was the turning point of the match," said Advani.
In fact, Advani laid a couple of snookers and then came up with a fine 34 clearance, taking the last red, the pink and all the colours to go 2-0 up. His other breaks were 55 in the first, 51 in the third and 52 in the fourth.
"A couple of times, I got distracted by crowd movements and photographers when I was in flow. I could have won a couple of the frames far more easily and I think from now on, I will try to finish off at the first opportunity," added the multiple world champion.
Among the most impressive quarterfinalists was China's 17-year old Zhao Xintong, last year's runner-up, who dropped just three frames in two matches while defeating Fabio Anderson Luersen of Brazil 5-3 and Lucky Vatnani 5-0 aided by four half-century breaks in just one hour, 15 minutes.
In the quarterfinal, Xintong faces Australian Adrian Ridley who was far too good for India's Shivam Arora, winning 5-1.
In the women's section, title favourites and double world champions Wendy Jans from Belgium and Hong Kong's Ng On Yee moved smoothly into the quarterfinals by defeating Indians Ameen Kamani and Arantxa Sanchis, respectively, by similar 4-0 margins.
Results: (Indians unless mentioned): Men (Round of 16): Zhao Xintong (CHN) bt Lucky Vatnani 5-0; Pankaj Advani bt Ryan Causton (ENG) 5-0; Yan Bingtao (CHN) bt Varun Madan 5-1; Adrian Ridley (AUS) bt Shivam Arora 5-1; Muhammad Sajjad (PAK) bt Thor Chaun Leong (MAS) 5-2.
Round of 32: Chaun Leong (MAS) bt Keen Hoo Moh (MAS) 5-1; Xintong (CHN) bt Fabio Anderson Luersen (BRA) 5-3; Bingtao (CHN) bt Gareth Allen (WAL) 5-3; Bolton (AUS) bt Chi Wai Au (HK) 5-0; Madan bt Soheil Vahedi (IRN) 5-1; Sajjad (PAK) bt Duane Jones (WAL) 5-2; Advani bt Laxman Rawat 5-2; Chandra bt Nick Jennings (ENG) 5-3; Lertsattayathom (THA) bt Chau Hon Man (HK) 5-3; Sarkhosh (IRN) bt Michael Judge (IRE) 5-3; Arora bt Lee Chun wai (HK) 5-3; Ridley (AUS) bt Sundeep Gulati 5-4; CaustonA (ENG)AbtABoonyarit KeattiunA(THA)A5-2; Damani bt Muhamed Shehab (UAE) 5-3; Kleckers (WAL) bt Mohd Reza Hassan (MAS) 5-2; Vantani bt Jamie Clarke (WAL) 5-2.A
Women (Round of 16): Wendy Jans (BEL) bt Amee Kamani 4-0; Ng On Yee (HK) bt Arantxa Sanchis 4-0; Siraphat Chichomnart (THA) bt Jessica Woods (AUS) 4-1; A
Round of 24: Nechaeva (Rus) bt Judy Walia 4-2; Wan (HK) bt Varshaa Sanjeev 4-2; Chichomnart (THA) bt Sue Martin (AUS) 4-0; Andal (PHI) bt Ip Wan Ij Jaique (HK) 4-2; Yan (HK) btADenise Santos (PHI)A4-1; JansAA(BEL) bt Neeta SanghviA4-1; Vasilijeva (LAT) bt Carmelita YumitoA(BRA)A4-1; Sanchis bt Neena Praveen 4-1.
Masters (Round of 16): Phisit Chandsri (THA) bt Prem Prakash S 4-1; Choon Kiat Tey (SIN) bt Igshaan Stanfield (RSA) 4-2; Craig McGillvray (SCO) bt Danny Connolly (ENG) 4-0; Noel Rodrigues Moreira (BRA) bt Keith Sheldrick (IRE) 4-2; Darren Morgan (WAL) bt Tom O'Driscoll (IRE) 4-0; Rafat Habib bt Alun Squire (WAL) 4-1; BV Srinivasa Murthy bt Graham Breadmore (ENG) 4-3; Chuchart Trirattanapradit (THA) bt Alok Kumar 4-3.
Round of 32: Prakash bt Chris Todd (AUS)A4-3; Stanfield (RSA) bt Nadeem Ahmed 4-2; MacGillivray (SCO) bt Salim Ali Alsuwaidi (UAE) 4-0; Connolly (ENG) bt Moosa Saleem (MAU) 4-2; Sheldrick (IRE)bt Wayne Morgan (WAL) 4-1; Moreira (BRA) bt Farhad Tengra 4-0; Morgan (WAL) bt Anthony Bonnar(IRE) 4-0; O'Driscoll (IRE) bt Wayne Brown (ENG) 4-3; Beardmore (ENG) bt Naveen Kumar KSA 4-2; Murthy bt Peter Vertommen (BEL) 4-0; Habib bt Munier Cassim (RSA) 4-0; Squire (WAL) bt Gavin Lewis (WAL) 4-2; Trairattanapradit (THA) bt Mohammed Al Joker (UAE) 4-2; Alok Kumar bt Paul Thomerson (AUS) 4-0; Chandsri (THA) bt Saleem Syed Abdul 4-0.
