Indians advance in billiards

Three Indians including reigning world champion Pankaj Advani moved into the quarterfinals of the World Professional Billiards championship following clinical victories over their respective opponents on the second day of the event here.

Three Indians including reigning world champion Pankaj Advani moved into the quarterfinals of the World Professional Billiards championship following clinical victories over their respective opponents on the second day of the event here.

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The 25-year-old Bangalorean Advani notched up his third straight victory in Group A as he brushed aside the challenge of compatriot Devendra Joshi 818-469 to advance to the last-eight stage at the Northern Snooker Centre.

The national snooker champion Advani sailed smoothly against Joshi with the help of breaks of 134, 209 and 101 respectively. Advani, who had last year created history by becoming the second Indian, after Geet Sethi, to win the elusive World Pro title, will face Kolkata's Sourav Kothari in the final group battle to decide the pool winner from Group A.

However, the match between the two green baize experts, will not have any significant bearing to the group standings as Kothari, son of national billiards coach Manoj Kothari, has also sealed his place in the quarterfinal stage after his 718-262 win against England's Martin Goodwill.