Updated on Tuesday, November 03, 2009, 16:21 IST Tags:Pankaj Advani

Hanoi: Reigning world champion Pankaj Advani kept India's hopes alive in the third Indoor Asian Games after advancing to the quarterfinals of the 15-Red Snooker discipline here on Tuesday.

Advani, who yesterday crashed out in the pre-quarterfinals of the 6-Red Snooker discipline, showed immense maturity and depth in his technique and won both his encounters of the day with elan in the 15-Red Snooker.

Advani, riding high on some gutsy potting and excellent cushion work, defeated HongKon's Au Chi Wai (4-2), 35-74, 69-38, 72-00, 69-21, 14-76 and 67-15 in the first match, and later dashed the title hopes of Brunei's Husain Mahmood Ali Mahmood with a similar margin in the second match.

He defeated Mahmood 61-68, 44-63, 73-18, 77-12, 67-29 and 63-09.

Another Indian Delhi Boy Manan Chandra, who agonisingly came close to a medal in the 6-Red Snooker discipline yesterday and finished fourth, started his campaign in 15-Red Snooker discipline on a rollicking note and defeated Brunei's Ahmed Ghulam Hasan Muanedi (4-0), 69-29, 79-15, 64-08 and 70-44.

In the men singles of 1-Cushion Carom, India's Vijay Goel failed to provide any challenge to his opponent Japan's Tadashi Machida and lost 35-100.

Bureau Report