Lucky Vatnani was clearly unlucky to miss a date with history. He would have become the first Hyderabadi ever to win a national snooker title but it turned out to be a case of being so near and yet so far. Lucky lost to the world champion Pankaj Advani in 5-6 frame score in the Senior nationals final held in Pune recently.
The best part of Lucky Vatnani's campaign is that he went through the grind of qualifying rounds to make it to the final and in the process has become only the third in the history of the championship to do so.
The Pune National performance should be a special one for someone who fine-tuned his skills in the most demanding English circuit.
“It would have been fantastic if I were to win this National title. For it means so much to any player,” says a disappointed Lucky Vatnani, a quarter-finalist in the World snooker in Hyderabad last year. But, he takes pride in the fact that he stretched the more famous Pankaj Advani to the wire with a remarkable fight back after losing the first three frames.
Advani's immense experience of wriggling out of crises in the past did come very handy.
“Yes, it does count at this level. But, it is also a huge learning experience for me,” says Lucky. “The whole National is a memorable, learning experience for me and I should only look ahead now,” he says confidently.
Not often does one see a runner-up position in a Senior National assume so much significance. That Lucky Vatnani was up against Advani made the difference. That Advani had to produce his best to win his fifth title is itself a tribute to the young Hyderabadi's vast improvement in the circuit.
Not surprisingly, seven-time world champion Geet Sethi says that this is a performance which should make Lucky believe in himself that he can perform in the big events. No wonder, this cueist, after a stint with the World Snooker Academy in England thanks to his sponsors Karvy's gesture, loves to be natural, enjoying the game like his idol Ronny O' Sullivan.
