iSport New Year Special: Interview with Pankaj Advani

iSporter Jigar Mehta interviews India's best cue-ist, Pankaj Advani.

punks2010interview

Imagine being just 25 and you already have 7 world championships in your bag!

Sounds a bit difficult, but it isn't difficult for the best thing to have happened to Indian Cue sports after the legendary Geet Sethi. (Read: Past vs Future - Sethi vs Advani)

Pankaj Advani has taken the Cue sport circuit by a storm ever since he became the Youngest Indian to win IBSF World Snooker Championship at 18, is the next best thing to happen to Indian Cue sports.

A proud recipient of Padma Shri and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, he is the only cueist to have won twin titles (point and time formats) at the IBSF World Billiards Championships, not once but twice.

His determination and never give up attitude has been the main force behind his success at such a tender age.

His ability to perform under pressure situations is what makes him more special than the others.

The year 2010 has been very special for him as he won his third straight (and fourth) Asian billiards title in April and then made the whole nation proud by winning the Gold medal in the men's billiards singles at the Asian games.

With his great dedication and never say die attitude, and all his achievements at such a tender age, he has been a great inspiration to a lot of sportsmen around the world.

I had this wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal with this champion from Bangalore.

Here are some excerpts from my talk with none other than the King of Cue sports, Pankaj Advani;

Jigar@iSport: Congratulations on winning the Gold at the Asian games, how does it feel winning back-to-back Golds, first in Doha in 2006 and now in Guangzhou in the second largest multi-sport event?

Pankaj: It feels awesome! Winning a medal for the country, a gold that too...again, feels amazing! No words can describe the feeling accurately.

Jigar@iSport: The final match - you were 1-2 down, after which you took a strategic break, what went through your mind during that break to plot your comeback?

Pankaj: I pictured receiving the silver medal if I didn't win the 4th frame and I hated what I saw. I went back in determined to play one point at a time to force the decider. Then momentum was going to be with me, which is exactly what happened. I wanted the top spot on that podium!

Jigar@iSport: Were you pressurised by the fact that you were defending the title?

Pankaj: Absolutely! One has everything to lose when defending a title.

Jigar@iSport: Tell us something about your ongoing chemistry with your current coach Arvind Savur and his role in the development of your career?

Pankaj: He is more than a coach. He's a father figure. He knows me and my game inside out. He is the one who made me believe that I could be a world champion. He's played a huge role in my success.

Jigar@iSport: Contribution of your brother Shree, who himself has played the game for six years, to your career? Any other people behind your success or whose support you can't do without?

Pankaj: He's played the game for as long as I have but hasn't been in the competitive scene of late due to his professional commitments. We talk about the game all the time. The shots I played the ones I missed, etc. It's great to discuss the game with someone in such detail. And as my sports psychologist, he has been helping me achieve for years now. My mother has helped keeping me grounded which is probably the biggest gift I could get.

Jigar@iSport: You won the Asian Billiards Championships and now a gold medal at the Asian games, Are you happy with the way 2010 shaped out for you?

Pankaj: I've finished with 2 Golds, 2 Silvers and a Bronze at the international level this year. It's been a brilliant 12 months.

Jigar@iSport: While you clinched victories on the Asian level, the famous IBSF World Championships is what you missed. Was 2010 an eye opener for you in anyways?

Pankaj: I learnt to deal with success and the lack of it at the same time. In sports you can't win everything. The unpredictability makes it so exciting.

Jigar@iSport: Did the losses affect you or has it changed your style of play or how you approach your game?

Pankaj: Losing is learning. Winning takes you a step forward, losing takes you ten. I'm grateful for whatever I've experienced so far - titles and lessons.

Jigar@iSport: Mike Russell got the better of you this time. Are you waiting to go one up next time? Do you think he's the toughest competitor on the international circuit?

Pankaj: He definitely is the toughest competitor. He's the man to beat. I really enjoy our healthy rivalry. It's great for the sport. I hear fans look forward to the two of us meeting in a tournament.

Jigar@iSport: 2011 - What are your plans? Any specific targets that you wish to achieve? Have you set your eyes on your 8th title already?

Pankaj: I want to keep playing well every year. That has always been my goal and that will always be my goal. If a title or two come along, I'll take it...happily!

Jigar@iSport: Had Pankaj Advani not been a Billiards player then what he would have been?

Pankaj: A pilot. I wanted to travel the world. Thanks to Cue Sports, I achieved that too.

Jigar@iSport: Sachin Tendulkar or Roger Federer? Why?

Pankaj: Roger Federer. He has taken his sport to a new level. As a professional athlete in an individual sport, I know how demanding it is to perform at a consistent level on the world stage. Federer is one of the best sportspeople this world has ever seen.

Jigar@iSport: You dance very well, any plans of entering the Television Industry?

Pankaj: I have got offers, but my busy tournament schedules have not allowed me to try my hand at TV. 2011 will be a lighter year compared to 2010 which had selection trials and preparatory camps for the Asian Games, plus the Games itself of course. Let's see. 2011 could be the year!

Jigar@iSport: Your message to budding talents who want to take up cue sports as a professional career. Can they be trained by Pankaj Advani?

Pankaj: I've expressed to the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India my interest to contribute to the development of the sport. I never knew I could make a viable career out of sports. I urge kids and parents especially to look at sports as a fulfilling career option.

Jigar@iSport: New Year message to your fans on iSport!

Pankaj: Enjoy the balance of 2010 and commit to making 2011 the best year ever for you. Keep your resolutions achievable and fun to accomplish. And remember to follow through on them. Keep iSporting!

Read iSport's New Year Specials - Interviews with Saina Nehwal, Aditya Mehta and Somdev Devvarman

Read iSport's Top 10 Indian Sports Personalities of 2010