Ishpreet Singh Chadha has made history by becoming India's first ranking event quarter-finalist in 11 years, following a thrilling 4-3 victory over He Guoqiang at the BetVictor English Open in Essex. This milestone marks a significant achievement for Singh Chadha, who transitioned from a successful career as a Counter-Strike Global Offensive player to professional snooker. He earned his spot on the tour after successfully navigating the Asia/Oceania Q School last year.
With this win, Singh Chadha joins the ranks of notable Indian players Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta, the last two Indians to reach a ranking quarter-final, which they accomplished at the 2013 Indian Open. Their quarter-final clash ended with Mehta winning 4-3. Singh Chadha’s victory over He Guoqiang is particularly impressive, as it comes after He’s own notable victories over renowned players such as Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stephen Maguire during the tournament.
Singh Chadha's performance was bolstered by impressive breaks of 59, 73, and 52, setting him up for a quarter-final match against four-time World Champion Mark Selby, who defeated Si Jiahui 4-3. Reflecting on his recent success, the 28-year-old stated that while he has not surprised himself, he feels he is approaching the level of play he aspired to achieve last season. He expressed satisfaction with how he has handled pressure throughout the tournament and is optimistic about his future matches.
Looking ahead, Singh Chadha is determined to approach the quarter-finals with confidence, stating that he will not be intimidated by his opponent. He emphasized the fearless attitude of Indian players and expressed excitement about facing Selby, whom he admires off the table. Meanwhile, world number one Judd Trump secured a 4-2 win against Fan Zhengyi, setting up a quarter-final encounter with Wu Yize, who previously defeated Ben Woollaston 4-2. Trump recalled his earlier match against Wu, where he made a remarkable comeback from 4-0 down, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of snooker.
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