Panaji: Six-time world champion Pankaj Advani clinched the 11th Asian Billiards Championship title after defeating Thawat Sujaritthurakarn of Thailand in the final on Sunday.
Although Advani was the one who started the proceedings on a positive note by winning the opening game, it was Thawat who actually impressed in the initial stages of the match, played at the Clube Tennis De Gaspar Dias Miramar, by taking the second and third games to secure a 2-1 lead.
Having won the second game, Thawat showed that not only is he a very capable player, but also has an intelligent head over his shoulders. Employing a credible strategy to keep Advani away from the table for as long as possible, Thawat played the 'white in-off' method of scoring repeatedly and double baulked whenever the opportunity came his way.
Under a bit of pressure as he was trailing 1-2, Advani stroked the balls well and compiled an unbeaten century break to take the fourth game and restore parity at 2-2. Advani notched up a 73 break to win the fifth game, leaving Thawat stranded once again at 0.
Showing no mercy, Advani just went about his job of scoring in a fluent manner with clinical efficiency to record another unbeaten century break on way to pocketing the sixth game.
Totally subdued, Thawat could not take any advantage whatsoever of a possible one-cushion regulation cannon, which was greatly required even to have a semblance of a chance of making a comeback after Advani had begun the seventh game. Advani, in trying to score a cannon, got a yellow pot instead. Following on the stroke, he promptly double-baulked. This ploy enabled Advani to notch up a break of 98 and stretch the lead to 5-2.
However, Thawat fought back, compiling a century break to get one back and trail by 3-5, but that was the only distance he could cover.
Advani stamped his authority on the rather one-sided match with a splendid century break in the ninth game to win the match and title with consummate ease.
Final tally: (English Billiards) 101(101)-28, 00-100(100), 28-100, 100(100)-00, 101(73)-00, 100(100)-00, 100(98)-00, 11-100(100), 101(101)-00.
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