Habib, Kothari in pre-quarters of Snooker Masters North Zone

Former Asian Games gold-medalist Rafath Habib and veteran Sourav Kothari notched up comfortable straight-frame wins over their respective rivals to move to the pre-quarterfinals of the RKG Snooker Masters North Zone Championship, here today.
However, there was disappointment in store for the 2010 World Professional Billiards finalist Dhruv Sitwala as he crashed out of the tournament after suffering a reversal at the hands of Delhi's Nitesh Madan.
PSPB's Sitwala was reduced to a mere spectator in his last-64 game as Madan came out all guns blazing to reign supreme on the green baize at the Megapool Snooker Academy in Dwarka.

Madan put on display fine potting skills to register an upset win over Sitwala. The Mumbai cueist tried his best to make a comeback into the game but it was not the case to be as Madan held his nerves to emerge victorious on the eighth day of the event.
Chennai's Habib produced an hour of sublime quality game to crush Delhi's Anuj Uppal 3-0.
Potting the ball all around the table with consummate ease, the 2008 National 9Ball Pool Champion was simply unstoppable en route his 76-12 77-34 70-30 win.

Another notable performer on the cue sport circuit, Kothari showed his class when he beat Chandigarh's Sameer Bhalla in straight frames.

The 2010 World Pro Billiards quarter-finalist, Kothari was on a roll, potting the ball all around the table skillfully to outclass Bhalla 81(76)-30 81-28 62-46.
Kolkata's Kothari constructed the tournament's highest break of 76 in the first frame of the match.