Bombay Gymkhana’s Zareer Shroff scripted the biggest upset of the Vijay Ved Memorial Open Handicap Billiards Tournament 2025, overcoming Thrice Asian Champion and Current World No. 2 Dhruv Sitwala in a nail-biting 9-point thriller.
Playing with a mammoth handicap of -800, Hindu Gymkhana’s ace cueist Dhruv Sitwala seemed in full control early on, firing breaks of 209, 158, 88, 62, 55, and 53 en route to his 1000-point target.
But it was Zareer’s sheer grit and composure that kept the scoreboard ticking, even as the seasoned champion’s breaks had him watching from his chair for long spells.
What followed was a tense, level battle from around 160 points apiece, as both players engaged in a nerve-wracking cat-and-mouse chase that had spectators glued to their seats.
The turning point came in the final decisive moments, when a rare positional lapse from Dhruv on 191 gave Zareer his only real opening.
With rock solid composure, Shroff accumulated the toughest six points — starting with a white pot, followed by a dicey overcut red, and finally sealing it with a confident in-off on the red — to hand the crowd a stunning finish.
With this monumental victory, Zareer Shroff advances to Round 3, where he will face Dhiraj Goplani.
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