With plenty of big-name absentees opportunity knocks for the rest at the Indian Open this week – but the tournament will be given extra spice by a home-grown rivalry.
India has a rich history of cue sports, and though billiards remains the pre-eminent game snooker was invented in the country in 1875 – albeit in a British Army officers’ mess in Jabalpur.
Aditya Mehta, who reached the final of the inaugural event last season only to lose to Ding Junhui, is currently the nation’s only snooker professional and might expect to be the focus of attention in Mumbai.
And yet Pankaj Advani, a multiple billiards world champion, retains a far higher profile despite quitting as he put it his “mistress” snooker after two years to go back to his billiards “wife”.
It was a blow for the snooker authorities in India who are looking to tap a huge well of potential in the 15-reds game, amid murmurings the country could be the next China.
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However Advani, viewed by some as the better snooker player, might yet steal more of Mehta’s thunder having procured a fortuitous wild-card into the draw. He plays Rhys Clark while Mehta takes on Mark King.
World No49 Mehta, looking to profit with the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby and Neil Robertson staying away, admitted he felt under huge pressure to qualify for the event in his home city, a burden of expectation that has increased since Advani’s decision last year.
“I knew the importance of qualifying for this one, the extra pressure to have India’s only snooker professional at the event,” the 29-year-old Mehta, based in north London, said.
“If anything it is more acute since Pankaj left the sport full-time as a tour pro and switched back to billiards. I didn’t even tell my parents when I was playing my qualifier – just afterwards that I had made it and would be playing in Mumbai.
“But just being here and being a professional, in the top 50 and having reached a major final, the only person from India to do that in the last decades is already not too bad. I do think India needed someone qualified by right in the main draw.
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“We can’t be as proud of our achievements if we just have wild-card places, and then watch the big boys come and take the trophy away.
“It probably wasn’t the best time for Pankaj to leave snooker in the sense that he was learning snooker very well and starting to succeed, but he made the decisions based on his perception and what is right for him. Pros will come and go but we want people committed to this game.”
For Mehta, who has always struggled with uprooting himself from friends and family for a better chance of success, at least there are some home comforts this week – and he holds some great memories of his best ever run in a major tournament 18 months ago. “My home is only about 20 minutes from the venue,” he said.
“We are aware that the sport was invented in India, it is there and in the history books. I don’t think I was too bothered where it originated, and it’s not like we Indians invented the sport, even though it was invented in India.
“We should be proud of it of course, the birthplace of a sport is a big thing, but for me the only place to be as a professional is based in England. I hope we can start to do more for our young players coming through make it as professionals.
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“It was completely unexpected getting to the final in 2013. I played the best snooker of my life, beat good players and deserved my wins. It was a bit of a whirlwind but my team kept me calm. My parents were there, the first time they had seen me play as a pro so that was special.”
Those under starters’ orders today can start trying to rescue the fortunes of an event that has at times felt cursed this season.
The original date in October had to be scrapped due to political unrest over elections in the region, and in addition to those who didn’t enter or withdrew players have been hit by visa issues and delays, leading to Ali Carter not being able to take his place in the draw.
Indian cuesports superstars
Aditya Mehta (snooker), age 29, Maharashtra, world No49, India’s only tour professional and already the first Indian snooker player to reach the final of a ranking tournament with his run in Delhi 18 months ago. Based in north London where he practises with Alfie Burden and Anthony Hamilton.
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Pankaj Advani (billiards/snooker), age 29, Pune, the winner of eight billiards world titles but after briefly switching codes for two years became the first Indian player ever to reach the quarter-finals of a snooker ranking event at the Welsh Open in 2013.
Geet Sethi (billiards), age 53, Delhi, a winner of eight world billiards titles in all – amateur and professional – and an inspiration for Advani. One of the dominant forces in billiards in the 1990s, during which time he enjoyed a fierce rivalry with England’s Mike Russell.
Michael Ferreira (billiards), age 76, Bombay, rejoiced in the moniker of the ‘Bombay Tiger’ and won three world amateur titles at billiards. Refused to accept a sporting award in 1981 claiming he should have got the more prestigious one given to Sunil Gavaskar. He later received it.