Welcoming the opportunity to showcase his cue skills in a world class field at next month's Indian Open in Delhi, reigning Asian snooker champion Aditya Mehta said it was a dream come true to play at home in a Professional tournament.
"I would be taking part in a professional snooker tournament for the first time in India. I never expected this to happen in my lifetime. It's a dream come true," said the Mumbai-born Mehta, who won the gold medal at the World Games in Cali.
Mehta, who defeated China's Xiao Guo Ding to qualify for the tournament, faces the stiffest of challenges as he has 2002 world champion Peter Ebdon as his first round opponent in the 300,000 pound sterling prize fund event.
"I am meeting a former world champion in the first round and am not looking too far ahead. But it's a short format. It is like the 100m dash and puts pressure on the higher ranked players. A good start would do wonders," said Mehta at a media conference here today.
The other Indian in the world pro snooker circuit, Bangalore-based Pankaj Advani, was also keen to play at home for the first time in a pro event that has attracted World No.1 Neil Robertson, four-time world champion John Higgins and a clutch of Chinese players including last year's semi finalist in the world championship - Ding Junhui.
"It's a special feeling playing at home against the top players in the world. I am glad this is happening," said Advani about getting an entry after beating Briton Mathew Selt into the 64-player draw for the October 14-18 tournament at Le Meridien hotel.
Six other Indians - Manan Chandra, Kamal Chawla, Sandeep Gulati, Shivam Arora, Faisal Khan and Dharmender Lilly have been given wild cards and would earn a berth in the main draw by beating six foreign players.
The winner would take home 50,000 pound sterling and among the players who have made the cut are: Robertson, Nippon Saengkham, Allison Carter, Liang Wento, Ding Junhui John Higgins, Joe Perry, James Wattana, Ken Doherty, Anda Zhang, Tony Drago, Marco Fu, Michael Holt, Nigel Bond, Ebdon, Mark Williams, Yu De Lu and Mark Selby.
