CALCUTTA, January 15: Ashok Shandilya marched into the semi-final of the 64th National Snooker Championships, defeating Rafath Habib 4-0 in the first quarter-final played on Thursday. However, a major upset grabbed all the attention today.Sixteen-year-old Delhi boy Manan Chandra pulled off a 4-3 win in the pre-quarter-final over former national champion and the seventh seed BVS Murthy. Coming out of his erratic form when it mattered most, the youngster played exciting snooker against the veteran to come back from a 1-2 deficit to win 4-3. The deciding frame might have been a one-sided affair, going 73-6 in favour of Chandra, but two of the earlier frames were matter of nerves. Murthy was leading 67-18 till the ninth visit before Chandra got the all-important break. Shandilya defeated Kothari 4-1 to set up a clash with Habib who managed to overcome Mohammad Asim 4-2. Shandilya had to ward off a challenge in the second, in which Habib notched up a break of 58.
Qualifier Devendra Joshi defeated Nalin Patel
4-1 to enter the quarter-final while favourite Yasin Merchant defeated Prateek Lohadia 4-0 to make the last eight.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
