Pankaj Advani overcame tough scheduling and a strong challenge from Englishman Stuart Bingham, ranked 12th in the world, to make it to the quarterfinals of the Indian Open snooker tournament here on Thursday.
Advani thus toppled a higher ranked player for the third time in a row even as he achieved his second last-eight appearance in a professional ranking event. In the quarterfinals, Advani will meet compatriot Aditya Mehta, who shocked two-time world champion Mark Williams 4-2 in a three-hour-45-minute humdinger.
The meeting between the two has ensured that history will be created as the winner will become the first from India to reach the semifinals of a professional ranking event.
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Advani’s high-intensity duel with Bingham was another proof of his ability to adapt to the demands of the professional league. In winning against a another quality opponent in less than 12 hours of his second-round match against the 11th-ranked Mark Allen, Advani showed his will-power and determination.
After claiming the first frame, Advani continued to pot well and built two fine breaks of 67, including seven consecutive combinations of red and pink, and a 53 to take the third and fourth for a 3-1 lead.
However, the resilient Briton won the next two frames. In the penultimate frame, he shrugged off some disturbance from the crowd to equalise with his second century break.
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Bingham, though, faltered in potting a red while leading 30-0 in the decider.
Advani seized the moment and rolled in a break of 86 to seal the match in his favour.
Advani admitted that he did well to get over the distraction. “I was pleasantly surprised when he missed the red. Then I shut myself off and took one ball at a time,” said Advani, while disclosing that he had slept very little after Wednesday night’s victory.
Mehta’s pipping of the 18th-ranked Williams was no less entertaining.
Leading 3-2 after the fifth frame, Mehta was 58-41 up when he tried to pot the black. It rolled in and sat on the edge of the top left pocket, providing Williams a chance to comeback.
However, the Indian World No.72 held his nerve to bag the sixth frame and make his first quarterfinal spot as a pro.
The results:
Pre-quarterfinals: Ding Jinhui bt John Higgins 4-2 [27-84, 62-21, 62 (51)-25, 109 (92)-0, 0-94 (94), 77 (77)-0]; Anthony McGill bt Joe Perry 4-2 [0-80 (64), 72 (56)-52, 77 (69)-6, 30-71 (56), 109-22, 138 (138)-0]; Robbie Williams bt Mike Dunn 4-0 (57-49, 134 (95)-0, 67-5, 63-55 (55)]; Pankaj Advani bt Stuart Bingham 4-3 [99 (53)-26, 1-117 (117), 80 (67)-15, 69-16, 11-72 (72), 8-119 (119), 86 (86)-30]; Neil Robertson bt Liang Wenbo 4-2 [96 (96)-39, 61 (61)-42, 10-68, 32-65, 87 (87)-0, 100 (100)-0]; Michael White bt Garry Wilson 4-3 [78 (78)-49, 0-84, 133-0, 0-136 (136), 59-43, 25-73 (64), 89 (56)-0]; Stephen Maguire bt Mark Davis 4-2 [68-70, 70 (50)-0, 0-96 (96), 70 (64)-45, 93 (55)-16, 69-45]; Aditya Mehta bt Mark Williams 4-2 [34-65, 79 (54)-21, 85 (66)-0, 45-74, 63-49, 70-41].
Wednesday’s results: Second round: Higgins bt Li Yan 4-0 [73 (73)-0, 68-34, 84 (84)-0, 105 (105)-0]; Advani bt Mark Allen 4-2 [48-67, 81 (55)-0, 92 (71)-5, 45-81, 69-42, 73-7]; Bingham bt Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon 4-2 [47-69, 72-1, 119 (119)-6, 54-7, 36-99, 62-9]; Wilson bt Marco Fu 4-3 [85-14, 44-64, 120 (120)-0, 0-81 (81), 0-137 (137), 99-31].