World Snooker: 14-year-old Chinese sends favourite Advani packing

China's 14-year-old Yan Bingtao scripted a sensational upset on Friday, sending 12-time World champion Pankaj Advani packing with a 6-4 victory in the quarter-finals of the Seaways IBSF World Snooker Championship, at the Sree Kanteerava indoor stadium, in Bengaluru.

Advani, who has had a good run in the tournament till date, was unable to come good on the big points against the Chinese schoolboy. He started the quarter-final losing the first two frames 38-63 and 47-75, despite a break of 44 against Bingtao's 57 in the second.

He convincingly pocketed the next three frames 107-0, 68-10 and 60-16 to lake a 3-2 lead in the match, but just when he needed another frame to get a firm hold on the proceedings, he conceded the sixth frame 4-83.

Though he won the seventh 89-24, after a 79 break for a crucial 4-3 lead, he could do little thereafter as the Chinese displayed precision potting to take the next three frames 40-67, 26-71 and 40-59 and seal a berth in the semi-finals.

"There was too much of disturbance and I was not able to concentrate. I also did not play well. Bingtao too did not play any great snooker, but I am not taking anything from him.

“It is just that he played the big points well while I did not. That made the difference," Advani told reporters after the defeat.

Bingtao, however, refused to speak the media, preferring to concentrate on his semi-final against Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn of Thailand.

Another Chinese, 2013 runner-up Zhao Xintong, also made his presence felt with an impressive showing to get the better of Australia’s Adrian Ridley 6-4.

The Aussie’s fine break of 106 hardly mattered against the young Chinese’s 139 and 66 in the ninth and 10th frames.

Pakistan's Muhammad Sajjad ended the Indian challenge when he got past Manan Chandra, while Lertsattayathorn beat Amir Sarkhosh of Iran 6-4 to complete the semi-final line-up.

Muhammad Sajjad will play Xintong in the semi-finals.

The Indian challenge ended in the women's event too when Chitra Magimairaj lost to title-holder Wendy Jans of Belgium.

Image: China's 14-year-old Yan Bingtao during his quarter-final against 12-time World champion Pankaj Advani in the IBSF World Snooker Championship, at the Sree Kanteerava indoor stadium, in Bengaluru.

Photograph: PTI