The Hindu : Sweet revenge for Manan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2003

Sport

Sport - Billiards & Snooker

Sweet revenge for Manan

By Our Special Correspondent

Mumbai Sept. 2. Manan Chandra savoured to the full the two victories he scripted.

Less than a month ago he failed to beat a field in a selection trial tournament in New Delhi to make it to the World Senior snooker championship in China. He lost 2-5 to the National senior and junior champion in Pankaj Advani.

On Tuesday he took a sweet revenge over the 18-year old Karnataka cueist and stormed into the final of the Rs. 4 lakh DSP Merrill Lynch Cricket Club of India (CCI) Men and Ladies Invitation snooker tournament. He will face Rupesh Shah in the final.

On the basis of his 5-4 win over Yasin Merchant in the last quarterfinals on Monday night, Chandra had offered sufficient indications that he would not be found wanting in skill and temperament. He had staged a comeback with purpose and poise against a top cueist in form.

Chandra was back at the C.K. Nayudu Hall within 24 hours of causing a big upset. His made a couple of errors and allowed Advani to run away with the opening frame in three fruitful visits. The balls began to roll in his favour from the second frame onwards. He made the most of the opportunities, making his own luck first potting a long red after Advani had left the hand ball almost behind the yellow after a break of 28.

Pulling back the second frame restored his confidence. He once again conceded the lead, but after a battle of wits he turned the tables on the favourite of the match and completed a fine double in knocking down India's two representatives for the World Seniors in China.

Earlier in the first semifinal, Gujarat's Rupesh Shah did not let his concentration waver in the crucial ninth frame. Ashok Shandilya who entered the tournament proper as a lucky loser had no option, but to congratulate Shah leading at 56-1 and with three reds left on the green baize.

On Wednesday the England's Kelly Fisher and Maharashtra's Anuja Thakur will play the women's final. This will be followed by the men's final.

Doordarshan will telecast the two finals live.

The results:

Semifinals: Rupesh Shah (Guj) bt Ashok Shandilya (Rlys) 5-4 (95-16, 45-58, 69-51, 34-73, 69-33, 68-15, 46-57, 66-74, 56-1), Manan Chandra (BPCL) bt Pankaj Advani (Knt) 5-3 (9-98, 80-51, 43-57, 87-4, 63-35, 87-50, 8-82, 48-13).

Quarterfinals: Manan Chandra bt Yasin Merchant (Mah) 5-4 (2-62, 17-69, 73-15, 0-96, 62-54, 14-81, 62-22, 44-5, 65-23), Pankaj Advani bt Devendra Joshi (BPCL) 5-0 (73-21, 58-29, 59-32, 68-48, 65-43).

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