Reigning Indian National billiards champion Dhruv Stiwala added another feather to his cap winning the the Asian Billiards Championships 2024. The left-handed Sitwala was in prime form and outlasted compatriot and India’s celebrated cueist Pankaj Advani 5-2 in the 100-up best-of-9-frame finals to win his third Asian crown, at the SABSF Academy, Riyadh on Friday.
Sitwala started positively and rolled in an unfinished break of 103 to win the first frame. He continued in the same vein and won the second frame to lead 2-0.
Advani, the proud winner of 27 World titles, showed his class by fighting back with two breaks of 82 and 60 in the next two frames to level the match scores at 2-all.
However, Sitwala regained his winning touch and succeeded iin pocketing the fifth frame 100-64 to lead 3-2 once again.
Advani tried to stay in the fight, putting together 23 points at the start of the sixth frame but made a costly mistake. Sitwala grabbed the opportunity and constructed another unfinished break of 101 to extend the lead 4-2.
Having gained confidence, Sitwala was unstoppable, and in the seventh frame, he compiled another break of 62 to clinch the win and seal his third Asian Billiards title of his career.
