Geet Sethi, insists India?s billiards coach Manoj Kothari, always starts slow before gathering momentum. Sethi will hope the coach?s statement turns out to be right after the veteran Indian got off to the worst possible start, losing both his league matches on the opening day of the World Billiards Championship.
The most anticipated match of the championship was the first-round clash between Sethi and England’s Mike Russell. The 49-year-old Indian seemed a little rusty and struggled to get going on the green baize, losing in straight frames to his long-time nemesis Russell.
The Englishman raced to a 150-49, 151-9, 150-58 win in less than 90 minutes to set the tone for the championship. He also went on to win his second league match, beating Min Hu Baek of Korea 150-89, 152-29, 150-8.
On the side table, though, Sethi slumped to yet another defeat, this time against Myanmar?s Nay Thway Oo, to hamper his qualification chances further. The Indian stalwart now has three more league matches remaining and it is vital that he wins them all to have any hope of progressing in this leg of the tournament.
?Geet?s always been a sluggish starter, but as always he will come back strongly and get through to the knockout phase in no less than second place,? said a confident Kothari.
Advani off to a flier
Meanwhile, defending champion Pankaj Advani launched his campaign in style, winning both his matches. Advani made easy work of Billy Bousfield of England in four frames and then blanked Chul Ho Hwang of Korea in straight frames to virtually seal his place in the knockout stages of the Points Format competition of the championship.
The Bangalore-based defending champion showed no nerves despite starting his match after Sethi?s first shocking loss, as he took Bousfield apart systematically.
