Mehta meets former world champ in Rd 1

NEW DELHI: India's premier cuesports players will be seen in action in the first-ever ranking tournament — the Indian Open — in the Capital from October 14 to 18. Top snooker stars of the world including world No. 1 Neil Robertson, four-time world champion John Higgins, Mark Selby and Barry Hawkins will be the star attraction at the £300,000 tournament.
Leading the Indian charge will be no. 72-ranked Pankaj Advani and 73rd Aditya Mehta. In what could be potentially the biggest match of the tournament Advani is set to face Mehta in the quarterfinals.
Advani, though, believes that a quarterfinal berth is some way off. "We have the world's best competing in this tournament. The format is such — the best of sevens break — that it will be a lottery for any player," Advani told TOI here on Thursday.
"However, if both of us do manage to meet in the quarters, it will definitely be the match of the tournament. The best thing will be at least one of us will be guaranteed a berth in the semifinals," the 28-year-old eight-time world billiards champion said.
Mehta has been drawn to face no. 28 Peter Ebdon in the first round, who is former world snooker champion. "I'll take one game at a time. With my ranking, I am not one of the favourites. I have a tough first round against a former world champion," the 27-year-old Mehta said.
Six Indian wildcards — Manan Chandra, Kamal Chawla, Faisal Khan, Sandeep Gulati, Shivam Arora and Dharminder Lilly — will also be competing in the event.