Ishpreet Singh Chadha became India’s first ranking event quarter-finalist in 11 years after a 4-3 win He Guoqiang at the BetVictor English Open in Essex.
Former professional gamer Singh Chadha gained his place on tour at the start of last season. He switched a career as one of his country’s best Counterstrike Global Offensive players for the green baize, when he came through Asia/Oceania Q School last year.
Today’s win sees Singh Chadha become the first Indian since Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta to make a ranking quarter-final. The duo faced each other in the 2013 Indian Open quarter-finals, when Mehta prevailed 4-3.
Defeat for He ends a tremendous week, which has seen him defeat the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Maguire.
Breaks of 59, 73, and 52 helped Singh Chadha to a momentous win this afternoon and earned him a quarter-final showdown with four-time World Champion Mark Selby, who defeated Si Jiahui 4-3.
“I wouldn’t say I have surprised myself this week, but I’m close to playing the way I should have done in the first season. It takes time to adjust to the tour. I handled the pressure so well and I’m delighted with myself,” said 28-year-old Singh Chadha.
“I am going to play my game in the quarter-finals. I won’t be frightened or intimidated by anything. We Indians aren’t afraid of anyone. I’m just going to play my game, hope for the best and see what happens. He is one of my favourite players, but that is just off the table, on the table it is a different game.”
World number one Judd Trump prevailed 4-2 against former European Masters winner Fan Zhengyi to set up a last eight meeting with Wu Yize, who beat Ben Woollaston 4-2.
Trump last faced Wu at the recent Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters, when he prevailed and went on to scoop the £500,000 top prize. However, it required a fightback from 4-0 down to beat Wu 5-4. Trump admits that he was looking for routes home during the interval of that match.
Trump said: “I was 4-0 down and ended up looking for flights at 4-0 down in the interval. You can check my history if you want! It is just funny how snooker goes having won that event and got to the quarters here.”