Pankaj Advani swats away Paul Schopf

BANGALORE: With the airconditioning at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium working well, favourite Pankaj Advani, who struggled in the steamy conditions on the first two days, found some semblance of form as breaks flowed thick and fast from his cue in the Seaways IBSF World Snooker Championships here.

On Friday, it appeared as if Advani was in a great hurry. Even before some of the latecomers could settle in, the 29-year-old Bengalorian shot out his Austrian opponent Paul Schopf in about 45 minutes.

Advani floored his rival with sizeable breaks en route a 4-0 win, his third in as many matches in Group ‘H’. The 12-time world champion constructed a gritty 71 in the first of the best-of-seven-frame encounter. The 29-year-old knit together a couple of 40plus breaks in the next two frames. He then closed out with a flourish.