Bangalore: Ace cueist Pankaj Advani said there's nothing bigger than the World Billiards Championship, which he won after defeating reigning champion and seasoned Englishman Mike Russell in the Time format final. "The world billiards is held once in a year and there is no bigger event than that. As I said in the beginning of the year, I wanted to play both billiards and snooker equally.
If I didn't play billiards, I would have been only concentrating on snooker this year and not given myself a chance to manage billiards as well," said Advani. The 27-year-old Bangalorean became the youngest Indian sportsperson to win eight world titles when he outclassed the local favourite Russell 1895-1216 in the final in Leeds, England. Advani and Rupesh Shah, who clinched the World Billiards title in Point Format after beating Australia's Matthew Bolton 6-2, were felicitated by Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) and Karnataka State Billiards Association (KSBA) here.
The only active player to compete at the highest level in both billiards and snooker, Advani had made a tough choice of picking the World Billiards over International Snooker Championships in China due to a clash in the dates of the two tournaments. And the celebrated cueist said the personal decisions of athletes should be respected just as nobody questions senior India batsman Sachin Tendulkar for not playing in the T20s.
"When Tendulkar doesn't play T20s for India, nobody questions him. It is his personal decision and we respect
06:06 PM, Nov 04, 2012
Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani notched up his seventh World Billiards Championship title after comprehensively beating defending champion and seasoned Englishman Mike Russell. ...
10:37 AM, Nov 02, 2012
New Delhi: Ace Indian cueist Pankal Advani is on a high after a thumping 1,895-1,216 victory over defending champion Mike Russell in the World Billiards Championship final (time format) in Leeds on Sunday for an eighth world title (seventh in billiards). The 27-year-old made his professional snooker debut in 2012 with wins over Steve Davis and former World No. 1 John Higgins, and having defeated compatriot Dhruv Sitwala in the...
08:23 AM, Oct 30, 2012
New Delhi: When ace cueist Pankaj Advani decided to take part in the World Billiards Championship, he had quietly made a promise to himself that nothing short of silverware would satisfy him and he kept his date with destiny. The only active player to compete at the highest level in both Billiards and Snooker, Advani had made a tough choice of picking the World Billiards in Leeds over International Snooker...
08:25 PM, Oct 29, 2012
Pankaj Advani said that he took a tough decision earlier this year to play both Billiards and Snooker at the highest level, and is glad to maintain his top form. ...
09:08 AM, Oct 29, 2012
Leeds: India's Pankaj Advani won his seventh World billiards title when he outclassed defending champion Mike Russell 1,895-1,216 in the final on Sunday. Leading 872-614 at the half-way mark in the five-hour match, the 27-year old Advani displayed greater consistency than Russell to repeat his 2009 victory against the 43-year-old Qatar-based Englishman, winner of 10 titles himself. Advani's triumph completed a fine outing for the Indians as on Saturday, Rupesh...
11:43 PM, Oct 28, 2012
Pankaj is only the second Indian to win the Professional World Billiards title. ...
02:31 AM, Sep 09, 2009
