The Hindu : Sport / Billiards & Snooker : A tough choice for Pankaj Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 23, 2005

Sport

Sport - Billiards & Snooker

A tough choice for Pankaj Advani

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, MARCH 22. Pankaj Advani's feet was firmly on the ground after flying into Mumbai on Tuesday morning with two titles at the IBSF World Billiards Championships in Malta.

"The time has come to decide between billiards and snooker. It is difficult to do both at international level," he said. "I love snooker, so the decision is tough."

The first cueist since Paul Mifsud to pocket World titles in billiards and snooker, the Indian is firm on the reasons for his dominance.

"Luck at vital stages and getting used to the heat of competition," said the officer with Oil & Natural Gas Commission.

"Luck plays an important part in the way the ball rolls. I was also toughened up by the series of tournaments in India," said Pankaj, after defeating Geet Sethi in the time-format decider. He had beaten Devendra Joshi in points final earlier.

The Indian, approaching 20 and already a feared name on the circuit, spoke about the joy of beating Robbie Foldvari and the satisfaction of winning the time-format final.

"Down 0-4, I could sense Foldvari cracking at 4-2. The 5-4 win was the turning point," the champion said, adding: "A title is a title, though winning the time-format was the most satisfying of the three titles won by me."

Pankaj, already familiar with pro snooker circuit, points out the need for cue sport becoming more global before turning pro full-time.

"Now pro snooker is restricted to England, where spending eight months on your own and at your own cost is difficult," he said.

"So unless the game gets more global and moves out of England, I don't see many outsiders turning professional in snooker. About billiards, I will have yet to decide though now doubts about achievements is over."

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