Top seed Geet Sethi showed his class to score an emphatic victory over Huang Chol Ho of South Korea while fourth seed Dhruv Sitwala was humbled by unsung Loon Hong Moh of Malaysia in the World Billiards Championship in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Three-time world champion Sethi, who was prolific with huge breaks in the time-play format, was at ease in the shorter version as well and outplayed his Korean opponent, winning 150-6, 150-2, 150-26.
Winning the first frame in just two visits, the Indian ace enthralled the morning session spectators with an unfinished break of 150 in the second frame after the Korean ended his first visit scoring only two points.
In the third game, Sethi look a bit shaky in the initial stages but regained touch to win 150-26.
Sitwala lost to Loon in a pitched battle where fortunes swung from one end to the other. After losing the first two games, Sitwala struck a purple patch and won the next two to level the scores. But he lapsed in concentration to allow the Malaysian take the match at 150-65, 151-67, 121-151, 68-151, 150-110.
Third seed Devendra Joshi and Ashok Shandilya along with fifth seed Nalin Patel scored easy victories over their respective opponents while sixth seed Joe Minici of Australia survived a scare before edging past Yeo Teck Shen Glenn of Singapore.
Results: Geeti Sethi (Ind) bt Husang Chol-Ho (South Korea) 150-6, 150-2, 150-26; Praput Chaithanskun (Thailand) bt Abdul Bari Chowdhury (Bangladesh) 150-40, 150-16, 150-3; Devendra Joshi (Ind) bt Hasan Manfaluti (Indonesia) 151-76, 152-133 151-47; Loon Hong Moh (Malaysia) bt Dhruv Sitwala (Ind) 150-65, 151-67, 121-151, 68-151, 150-110; Nalin Pael bt Kim Do-Hoon (South Korea) 150-19, 150-30, 151-103; Joe Minici (Australia) bt Yeo Teck Shen Glenn (Singapore) 151-126, 75-150, 119-152, 151-81, 151-101; Ashok Shandilya (Ind) bt N N G Samarasicrama (Sri Lanka) 150-21, 127-150, 150-13, 150-30; Steve Mifsud (Australia) bt Soh Chye Hian Friddi (Singapore) 152-145, 63-151, 150-35, 152-21; Thawat Sujarlithurakan (Thailand) bt Eugene Huges (Rep of Ireland) 150-26, 0-150, 150-93, 150-130; U Aung San Oo (Myanmar) bt James Moore (Rep of Ireland) 152-48, 66-150, 153-33, 152-131; Duncan Bezzina (Melta) bt Gary Oliver (New Zealand) 151-125, 152-127, 105-153, 144-151, 150-23; Lee Lagan (England) bt K H Sirisoma (Sri Lanka) 150-48, 150-30, 150-85; Peter Franciso (South Africa) bt Alexander Borg (Malta) 150-86, 151-109, 152-79; Wayne Carey (New Zealand) bt Mark Anthony Boyle (Scotland) 150-129, 150-41, 32-150, 150-139 and Roy Lattimer (Northen Ireland) bt Tauriq Samsodien (South Africa) 151-118, 152-148, 150-17.
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