The 41-year-old cue sports legend recently won his 21st World Billiards Championship title in Great Wyrley, England, after a stunning comeback in the final against Robert Hall.
Even with 29 world titles, Pankaj Advani believes in “improving” rather than “proving” himself. Reflecting on his triumph in a candid conversation with Bangalore Times , Pankaj says, “Just before I left, I came across a video of a woman saying we are so focused on proving ourselves instead of improving ourselves. That caught my attention. We are always chasing validation and saying, ‘I am the best in the world. It is so much better if we look inwards and introspect about how we can become better as human beings.”
“When I won my first title at 18, I told my coach and some senior players I wanted to become equally adept at billiards. “There is not a single player who has won every match they have ever played.
“I would be lying if I said I don’t like it when people call me a ‘legend’. That is no mean feat, even in my own estimation,” he says. Experience has taught him to accept defeat. Even exceptionally good players are bound to lose, and that is absolutely fine. It is what makes sport exciting. You never know whether you are going to win, but you still take that chance,” he explains. He doesn’t take praise for granted. It feels really nice. I work hard for it, and I am grateful to the people who share that positive energy,” he adds. Advani’s success in both billiards and snooker defied the belief that players must pick one discipline. Hardly anybody had taken that path. I wanted to redefine the word ‘specialisation’ and challenge the usual approach. Most of my achievements have come in billiards, but I also have eight world titles in snooker. ‘If I enter a tournament, I want to be prepared’
Because there are no expectations, “When you are a young player challenging the champions, it is easier.
Once you keep winning, there is pressure to defend your title and remain at the top,” he says. Pankaj believes expectations change once you become a champion. I want to discover my maximum potential as a player and be the best version of a cueist that I can be ‘I never wanted to limit myself to one game’