India's Pankaj Advani has hailed a "huge moment for Indian sport" with Delhi primed to host the country's first snooker ranking event.

World number 70 Advani and fellow countryman Aditya Mehta, ranked 72nd, have both qualified for the tournament.

"It will be an eye-opener and will act as a catalyst to develop the sport," said Advani, the first Indian to reach the quarter-final of a ranking event.
 "The interest in the event is already fantastic," Mehta told BBC Sport.

Meanwhile, seven players have withdrawn for numerous reasons, but organisers say it has nothing to do with the cyclone that has swept through the Bay of Bengal.

Thousands of people have been evacuated as the severe weather hits the south-east of the country, although it is not forecasted to reach Delhi in the north.

World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan has not made the trip but world number one Neil Robertson, Shanghai Masters winner Ding Junhui, John Higgins and Mark Selby will all be in action.

Advani, 28, plays Marcus Campbell, while 27-year-old Mehta faces former world champion Peter Ebdon in the first round of the Indian Open.

The nation's top two players feel it could be a breakthrough moment for the sport in a country which has a population of over 1.2bn people.

"It is good that both players from India have qualified for the event," said Advani, who hails from Pune.