'One of my best achievements': Pankaj Advani makes a golden pool plunge

BENGALURU: Even after conquering billiards and snooker with 28 world titles, Pankaj Advani continues to find new ways to surprise — perhaps even himself.At 40, and in his first-ever national pool championship in Ludhiana last week, the Bengaluru cueist scripted a debut for the ages, clinching both the 9-ball and 10-ball titles despite having virtually no competitive background in the format.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!That this breakthrough has come so late in his career only adds to its intrigue. At a stage when most champions settle into legacy mode, Advani is still pushing boundaries — embracing unfamiliar challenges and emerging victorious.His maiden national pool triumph is not just another addition to an already overflowing trophy cabinet, but a testament to his rare ability to evolve and win across disciplines.A self-confessed novice in the format, having played just two matches before the nationals, Advani rates the feat among his finest.“At the national level, this is right up there — one of my best achievements in cue sports. I’ve never played competitive pool,” he told TOI on Monday.Explaining his late foray into the format, Advani noted, “Earlier, I felt it would hamper my progress in billiards and snooker, since it’s a very different version of cue sport.”The transition is anything but simple. Unlike billiards and snooker, which share similar tables and equipment, pool presents a completely different challenge, from ball size to pocket dimensions and shot angles.

“To do it in my first attempt, and then win a double, not just one, I could never imagine in my wildest dreams that this would happen,” he said.If anything, the circumstances made the triumph even more remarkable. Advani had done no specific preparation and only got a feel of the table after arriving in Punjab.He was also coming off a rare early exit in a national snooker event — a setback that sharpened his resolve.“When a sportsperson gets beaten, you always want to come back stronger,” he said, adding that the disappointment gave him “a little more intent and determination” heading into the pool event.What worked in his favour, however, was the absence of pressure — something unfamiliar in a career defined by expectation.“You have no idea how relieved it feels to enter a championship as an underdog,” he reflected. Surrounded by seasoned pool specialists, Advani was, for once, not the man to beat. “There was no pressure of having to win or defend a title.”With a packed schedule ahead, it remains to be seen whether this success will lead to a deeper pursuit of pool.“I don’t think I’ll be able to play every pool event, but I would love to play a couple of the big ones,” he said.This unexpected detour has added a fresh dimension to an already unparalleled career. “Definitely a new dimension,” Advani said, acknowledging that success in pool brings him closer to the rare tag of a true all-rounder in cue sports, much like seasoned pro Alok Kumar.