‘I can shake a leg well’

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With just one international title, the Asian Billiards Championships, to his credit in 2010, Pankaj Advani, many felt, had slipped down from his exalted status. But champions, like they say, can never be pinned down and the Bengalurean, in his inimitable style worked his magic at the Asian Games in Guangzhou last week. A little insight into the outspoken champion’s life.

Early sporting memory: At 18, when I first won the IBSF World Snooker championship. I had goosebumps when I won the title.

Sports played: I love bowling and I like playing table tennis too, although I don’t play it well.

Most memorable sporting moment: Winning the World Professional billiards title last year will always be special because it was my first pro title and put everybody’s doubts about my ability to rest.

Worst sporting moment: In 2002, I lost the Asian Billiards championship to Ashok Shandilya in Bengaluru. The margin was 5-4 and I was in tears after the match.

Funny questions most asked: I find it very funny when people ask me ‘How does it feel’ when I win a title. I mean how am I expected to feel? Some times I feel I should learn more adjectives.

Favourite venues: I love the facility in Latvia. I played the World junior championship there in 2002 and finished a semifinalist. It is a beautiful country with very beautiful women.

Other sport you would pay the most to see: Tennis and football.

Greatest change you would like to see in the running of your sport: Perception is what has to change. People have to start thinking big. At the end of the day everything boils down to big plans and the governing body has to change its perception.

Who would you most like to invite to dinner and why? Catherine Zeta Jones because she is an ageless beauty. Like old wine she’s getting better with age.

How will you like to be remembered? People may remember my sporting achievements as long as I play or live. But I want to be remembered as a clean person and a people’s favourite.

Other interests in your life: I love dancing and I can shake a leg well. And it is my New Year resolution to start learning dance seriously.

What do you never leave home without: My watch, because I have a problem keeping up with time.

One bad habit you wish you could get rid of: I need to improve on my punctuality and I can get very stubborn at times and I need to work on that.

Your superstition: As I grew older I got over superstitions. But there was a time when I would wear the same night suit throughout a tournament even if it was for a week or 10 days because I believed a change in the night suit would change my luck too. In fact I did that when I won my first World title in 2003.

Funniest fan letter/proposal: A girl once wrote to me “I want to make friendship with you.”

Where do you see yourself in five years: I don’t know what I will be doing in the next five hours so five years is a long time to plan.

What’s the one thing that frightens you most: Flattery, because I believe in the dictionary meaning of the word, which is “To compliment excessively and often insincerely, especially in order to win favour.”

Biggest regret: I wish I was taller than what I am.
The person you learnt most from: My mother
Favourite holiday spot: Goa
Sporting heroes: Roger Federer
Sporting motto: Match abhi bakhi hai mera dost.
Favourite actor: Aamir Khan
Favourite actress: Priyanka Chopra
Your best trait: My integrity.