JOIN USIn a day that witnessed five breaks over the 100-mark, India No 2 Sourav gained the mark with a break of 112 to notch up a clinical 4-1 win over Kamal Chawla.
He will next face Chennai veteran Rafath who had 75 breaks to oust former National champion Alok Kumar 4-2.
Ahmedabad’s Rupesh Shah also gained breaks of 100 and 102 but still lost 2-4 to Saleem. Saleem will meet Aditya Mehta of Mumbai who’s 117 break helped to dispose of qualifier Sridhar of Andhra Pradesh 4-0.
Advani also got the better of Manan Chandra 4-3 to reach the quarterfinals and he will now meets qualifier Sandeep Gulati of Delhi.
In another tie, qualifier J Varun Kumar of Chennai scored over Bangalore’s IH Manudev 4-1 and will take on the winner of Geet Sethi and Prem Prakash.
Speaking on his performance, Kothari said, “I am happy to be playing at best after the shock defeat in the league. Today, I came up with consistent breaks and rounded off with the 112. “It was not a very difficult break as the reds were available around the pink and black. Kamal gave me an opening early in the frame and I cleared up.”
Results (pre-quarterfinals): Pankaj Advani (PSPB) bt Manan Chandra (PSPB) 4-3; Sourav Kothari (PSPB) bt Kamal Chawla (Railways) 4-1; Sandeep Gultai (Delhi) bt Devendra Joshi (PSPB) 4-1; Rafath Habib (Railways) bt Alok Kumar (PSPB) 4-2; J Varun Kumar (Tamil Nadu) bt IH Manudev (Karnataka) 4-1; SA Saleem (Tamil Nadu) bt Rupesh Shah (PSPB) 4-2; Geet Sethi (Gujarat) bt Prem Prakash (TN) 4-0; Aditya Mehta (PSPB) bt Sridhar (AP) 4-0.