SPG-Park Club Billiards Tournament: Jagdale upsets Shandilya; Sitwala fires four century breaks

2012 world bronze medallist Dhruv Sitwala

Mahesh Jagdale stunned world bronze medallist Ashok Shandilya to storm into the quarter-finals, in the SPG-Park Club Open Billiards Handicap Tournament on Friday.

Elphinstone Cricket Club’s Jagdale, playing with a -275 handicap, triggered a dramatic day of upsets with a 250-83 win over Shandilya of Shivaji Park Gymkhana, who played with a -600 handicap. Jagdale hit significant breaks of 92 and 63, while Shandilya hit 111, 83 and 51 but failed to capitalize on his effort.

In other upsets, Chandu Kansodaria beat Hitesh Kotwani, Shekhar Surve halted Farhad Tengra, Sanjiv Bijlani prevailed over V. ‘Raja’ Subramanian, Kabil Badami overcame Aditya Agrawal and Rohan Jambusaria stunned Subhash Agrawal to enter the last eight.

In contrast, twice world runner-up and 2012 world bronze medallist Dhruv Sitwala and India junior No. 1 Dhvaj Haria of Ahmedabad lived up to their reputations to enter the quarter-finals. Sitwala fired four century breaks and missed the fifth by eight points, while Haria hit a break of 124.

Results: Pre-quarter-finals: Chandu Kansodaria (-80, MCF) bt Hitesh Kotwani (-70, CCI) 250-209; Shekhar Surve (-70, SPG) bt Farhad Tengra (-150, Elphinstone CC) 250-122; Sanjiv Bijlani (-30, Park Club) bt V. ‘Raja’ Subramanian (-300, Matunga Gym) 250-160(123,71); Kabil Badami (-20, Bombay Gym) bt Aditya Agrawal (-300, PJ Hindu Gym) 250-171; Mahesh Jagdale (-275, Elphinstone CC) bt Ashok Shandilya (-600, SPG) 250(92,63)-83(111,83,51); Dhvaj Haria (-350, Ahmedabad) bt Hasan Badami (-70, CCI) 250(124)-208; Dhruv Sitwala (-600, PJ Hindu Gym) bt Ronnie Daruwalla (-50, PJ Hindu Gym) 250(157, 147, 182, 163, 73, 92)-222; Rohan Jambusaria (-60, MCF) bt Subhash Agrawal (-250, SPG) 250-88.