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Asian Men's Snooker Championship: Pankaj Advani lifts title

With the victory, the ace Indian cuesit complete a career Grand Slam in cue sports.

Pankaj Advani

Bengaluru/Doha, June 22: India's Pankaj Advani clinched the 35th Asian Confederation of Billiard Sports (ACBS) Men's Snooker Championship title, defeating Thailand's defeated Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon 6-3 in the final at Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation (QBSF) Academy Hall in Doha.

With the victory, the ace Indian cueist complete a career Grand Slam in cue sports.

The 33-year-old Bengaluru boy had conquered the ACBS Asian Snooker events - 6-red (short format) and 15-red (long format) - along with the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Championships in both formats too.

Having already accomplished it in billiards, Pankaj had this elusive 15-red Asian snooker title missing from his silverware collection and with the win became the only one to win the Asian and World championships in all formats.

He is also the only one to do so in two sports, both billiards and snooker.

"With this title, I've done everything I could when representing my country in both the sports. This win completes my trophy cabinet so I now know I'll be sleeping well for a very long time," Pankaj said.

"Having won all that there is, I would like to continue competing with the objective of deriving personal growth through the medium of sport and to also share my knowledge with budding cueists.

"I'm now going to enter every Championship to enjoy my game while at the same time focus on other areas of my life too."

After a shaky start against Thanawat, Pankaj found himself with yet another deficit.

At 1-3, the Indian went into overdrive and won five frames on the trot to capture the Asian 15-red snooker title.

Thanawat started off with a bang leading 2-0 in no time. Pankaj responded with a 54 break to make it 1-2 but the Thai was in no mood to concede another frame and continued his brilliant potting display.

He came up with a 75 break and reached the halfway mark with three frames in his pocket.

Pankaj grinded it out one frame at a time. By the time he drew it at 3-3, Thanawat lost his momentum and confidence to only see his 21-time world champion opponent race to the finish line.

Pankaj will now take part in IBSF World Cup next week at the same venue in Doha.

Earlier in the semifinals, he had staged a miraculous comeback after being 0-4 down to beat Pakistan's Asjad Iqbal 5-4 in the semifinal while Thanawat beat Pakistan's Babar Masih 5-2 in the other last-four encounter.

QBSF President Mohammed Al Ramzani and ACBS chief Mohammed Salem Al Nuami awarded the winners.

Result (Final)

Pankaj Advani (India) beat Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon (Thailand) 6-3

Frame scores: 10-52, 1-97(97), 95(54)-1, 1-110(75), 69-43, 71(60)-44, 80-49, 72-42, 67(50)-1

(With inputs from Agencies)

Story first published: Saturday, June 22, 2019, 1:26 [IST]
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