World billiards champion Pankaj Advani became the first and only Indian to enter the top eight of a major event on the professional snooker circuit as he easily beat Scotland's Graeme Dott 4-1 to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open tournament yesterday
Advani, who had defeated World No 4 Shaun Murphy in the pre-quarterfinals, started strongly with a 63 break for a 1-0 lead and followed it up with a run of 73 to go 2-0 up.
Dott, the 2006 World snooker champion and currently ranked at 13, took the third frame before Advani took the fourth on a 46 clearance and then clinched the match with a brilliant break of 100 to book his berth in the round of eight.
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Advani, who next meets the winner of World No 2 Judd Trump vs Andrew Higginson match, said: “Being the only Indian to make it to the quarters of any professional snooker ranking tournament, is a huge high for me.”
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