Ishpreet Entered Into Semi-Final & First Indian After a Decade

Ishpreet Singh Chadha beat the four time world champion Mark Selby in the Pro circuit snooker to make place in the semi final of that tournament. He became the first player from his country to make the semi-finals of a ranking tournament since Aditya Mehta reached the last four of the 2013 Indian Open.

Highlights

• It had looked as if it would be a comfortable evening for Singh Chadha when breaks of 73 and 114 helped him into a 4-1 advantage.
• Typically, four-time World Champion Selby refused to give up and roared back into contention. Trailing 4-3 and with his opponent starting to falter, Selby piled on the pressure with a break of 96 to force a decider.
• Selby had opportunities to complete the comeback in the final frame, but couldn’t convert them. Singh Chadha eventually got his chance after depositing an incredible opening red. He held himself together with a break of 41 to win on the final black.

Remarks by him

• I think some qualities from gaming have really helped me in snooker. 
• I can handle pressure much better when I’m playing well. I was known to win deciders in India as well and I am happy to have won this game.
• I am so happy I could win in front of my mum. I wouldn’t be playing snooker if it wasn’t for her. She has given me so much freedom to do whatever I want. 
• So much hard work has gone in. There have been so many sacrifices from her to let me live my life.

Achievements by him

• At the 2024 English Open in Brentwood in September 2024, he reached the semi final with wins against He Guoqiang, Jak Jones, Hossein Vafaei.
• Also beat former world champion Graeme Dott, and four-time world champion Mark Selby.
• In doing so, he became the first Indian player to reach a ranking event semi final since Aditya Mehta in 2013.
• He defeated Pankaj Advani to win the 6-Red Snooker National Championships in Indore.