Pankaj Advani of PSPB won his seventh National billiards title at the BRC here on Saturday. The 29-year-old toyed with Dhruv Sitwala, also of PSPB, 5-0 in a completely one-sided final.
For most part of the best-of-nine frames final, the 41-year-old Mumbaikar sat out watching the 12-time world champion unfold a world class performance. He won the first frame at 150-28 with two good breaks of 55 and 80, the latter came to an end when he missed a long in-off at 148-4. Sitwala failed to utilise the opening, adding only 24 before Advani closed it. “He got a few chances in the first frame but could not capitalise on it. It would have been a totally different game had he won the first frame,” he reasoned.
Advani produced a flawless unfinished 150 in his second visit to win the second frame. He had a postman’s knock for 53 and generally played the floating white on the top table with aplomb. In his first visit, Advani came up with a monumental unfinished 153 to win the third frame.
After a 45-minute break, Advani compiled a break of 82. Sitwala’s ripose was a fine 81. Another break of 61 meant 4-0 for Advani. He began with a 50. When Sitwala failed to get going, Advani produced an unfinished 103 to pocket the fifth.
The result:Final (best of nine frames): Pankaj Advani (PSPB) bt Dhruv Sitwala (PSPB) 150(55, 80)-28, 150(150)-0, 153(153)-0, 150(82, 61)-81, 153(50, 103)-0.
Third and fourth placing: Siddharth Parikh (RSPB) bt B. Bhaskar (Kar) 106-150(107), 150(110)-137, 15-151(103), 151(136)-00, 150 (118)-114(107).
Final placing: 1. Pankaj Advani (PSPB), 2. Dhruv Sitwala (PSPB), 3. Siddharth Parikh (RSPB), 4. B. Bhaskar (Kar), 5. Rupesh Shah (PSPB), 6. Dhvaj Haria (PSPB), 7. Brijesh Damani (PSPB), 8. Jaiveer Dhingra (Mah).
