Sourav, Pankaj make semis at National Snooker

CHENNAI: Sourav Kothari and defending champion Pankaj Advani overcame stiff challenge from their opponents before making the semifinals of the 7th National 6-Red snooker championships here on Friday. While Sourav scored a 5-3 (23-46, 01-39, 46(46)-00, 68(63)-00, 48(44)-00, 27-33, 52(52)-07, 49-05) win over Varun Madan, Pankaj beat Sundeep Gulati 5-3 (17-42, 34-25, 48-09, 05-39, 46-16, 43-30, 17-38, 45-08).
Sourav started off poorly - losing the first two frames - before scripting a comeback to clinch the next three and take a 3-2 lead. However, Varun kept himself alive by winning the sixth frame and level the scores at 3-3. From thereon, it was Sourav who called the shots and clinch the two subsequent frames to book a semis berth.
Pankaj too didn't have the best of starts and lost the first frame 17-42 before settling in. Sundeep did give a good fight and each time Pankaj found himself in a corner - the 18-time World champion - fought his way out.
In the other quarterfinal clashes, former Asian gold medalist and runner up of IBSF World 6 red snooker championship Kamal Chawla defeated Ishpreet Singh 5-3 (10-31, 51-00, 10-35, 34-28, 40-00, 33-40, 44(44)-00, 33-27) to progress into the semis. Ishpreet came up with a creditable show but Kamal stepped up during crucial junctures to make the last-four stage.
Akshay Kumar beat local boy R Girish 5-2 (36-29, 10-48, 39-14, 52(44)-04, 41-11, 25-33, 28-14) to enter the semifinals.
Earlier in the day, Pankaj scored a comfortable 5-1 (42-00, 25-32, 81(74)-00, 42(41)-00, 44-00, 33-20) win over Pushpender Singh to make the quarterfinals. Barring the second frame where he lost 25-32, Pankaj looked largely untroubled during the course of the contest. Girish and Kamal registered victories with the same scoreline (5-1) against Avinash Kumar and Vinayak Agarwal respectively. Akshay Kumar, Ishpreet Singh, Sourav Kothari, Sundeep Gulati and Varun Madan completed the last-8 line-up.
Results:
Quarterfinals: Akshay Kumar bt R Girish 5-2 (36-29, 10-48, 39-14, 52(44)-04, 41-11, 25-33, 28-14); Kamal Chawla bt Ishpreet Singh 5-3 (10-31, 51-00, 10-35, 34-28, 40-00, 33-40, 44(44)-00, 33-27); Sourav Kothari bt Varun Madan 5-3 (23-46, 01-39, 46(46)-00, 68(63)-00, 48(44)-00, 27-33, 52(52)-07, 49-05); Pankaj Advani bt Sundeep Gulati 5-3 (17-42, 34-25, 48-09, 05-39, 46-16, 43-30, 17-38, 45-08)
Pre-quarters: Akshay Kumar bt G Prabhu 5-3 (35-01, 14-43, 07-44, 68-00, 09-44, 52-16, 34-33, 46-17); R Girish bt Avinash Kumar 5-1 (51(43)-6, 42-04, 35-22,09-48, 48-03, 49-08); Kamal Chawla bt Vinayak Agarwal: 5-1 (26-54, 72(42)-00, 42-24, 37-20, 34-20, 53(53)-00); Ishpreet Singh bt Malkeet Singh : 5-3 (35-05, 17-34, 18-32, 28-20, 47-06, 36-06, 14-32, 42-04); Varun Madan bt IH Manudev 5-2 (40-16, 23-31, 45-08, 46-21, 29-36, 38-10, 44-22); Sourav Kothari bt Vijay Nichani 5-1 (39-02, 44-12, 23-33, 32-21, 52-16, 37-27); Sundeep Gulati bt Sahil Nayyar 5-1 (51-25, 46-24, 38-31, 39-24, 09-38, 40-08); Pankaj Advani bt Pushpender Singh 5-1 (42-00, 25-32, 81(74)-00, 42(41)-00, 44-00, 33-20)