Exclusive! Pankaj Advani's secret to success - Deal with stress and dream big

Star Indian cueist Pankaj Advani grabbed his 24th World title when he triumphed at the IBSF 6Red Snooker World Cup with a victory over Pakistanrsquos Babar Masih in the final last week on September 21Pankaj Advani who won his 11th Asian title as well started the final with a comfortable 4213 win in the opening frame Babar drew parity by winning the second 3814The 24time World champion in a teteatete with middaycom talked about his approach to the final and his emotions after the win He also discussed his mindset before a game as well as why he pursued snooker as a careerExcerpts1 Was there any pressure and a game plan going into the finalIn every big game of a tournament be it the quarters semis or finals therersquos pressure The start of a final is crucial as the player who takes a lead initially settles down faster My safety play has been my biggest weapon throughout the last 2 weeks giving me the edge to force errors from opponents2 What were the emotions running through you after you clinched the World Snooker ChampionshipAt the start of the World 6 Reds Cup I was high on confidence since I had won the Asian Snooker Championship a day ago However the 6 reds snooker format is highly unpredictable so there was no favourite for the title The moment I won the World Cup I felt grateful elated and relieved to get through against my Pakistan rival by a narrow marginAlso realised that Irsquove been on a winning streak of 29 matches National and international events combined Really happy to win for my country after 2 long years3 What is your mindset when you approach a gameI love playing according to the situation instead of going in with preconceived notions and fixed strategies Just go with the flow live in the present enjoy the journey and not worry too much about the result4 Whats the secret behind your dominance in the sport after so many yearsThe hunger to excel belief in my own ability and passion to grow as an athlete and human has made me consistent I guess My brother Shree who is a mind coach and sports psychologist has helped me tremendously to handle pressure deal with stress and dream bigMind coaching isnrsquot given much importance in Indian sport and I really feel we need that to achieve true consistency and longevity5 What was your inspiration to pursue snooker as a careerI was introduced to the sport by Shree at the age of 10 I first saw Mr Arvind Savur when I entered the Karnataka State Billiards Association in Bangalore in 1996 Right from that very moment I knew he was the one who could make me a top player His knowledge confidence and flair inspired me to be more6 Which would you term as the highlight of your career and whyMy first World title in snooker in 2003 was one of my biggest moments Nobody gave me a chance at the age of 18 and on debut to lift the IBSF World Championship in China but I defied all odds to win one of the toughest tournaments in the game by defeating a top Pakistani player Mohammed Saleh in the final I surprised myself then just like I did the last 2 weeks in Doha7 What would you advise the youth who would want to pursue snooker professionallyOnly if you love playing cue sport pursue it Donrsquot do it for the rewards or recognition Snooker and billiards transport me to another world Pursue a profession that brings out the best in you just like how I feel the game has done for meCheck out all the latest news and updates on IPL 2021