Ashok Venugopal By Express News Service CHENNAI: BU Pranav Nath of Madurai was the pick of the players in the DCB Bank-Tamil Nadu billiards and snooker state-ranking championship. He won both the billiards and snooker sub-junior titles with ease. Many who follow the sport believe that Pranav Nath is one of the best talents in the state at the moment. Ever since he won the state sub-junior snooker championship last season, his game has improved a lot and is now keen to take cue sports as a professional. The youngster, on his father’s insistence, watched a snooker tournament and instantly took a liking for the sport, which is now a passion for him. “I have been playing cue sports since I was 14. My father, Udhaya Raja, suggested I take up cue sports and when I came to see a match for the first time, I instantly took a liking to the sport and got hooked. My father and mother, Shantha Rani, have been a big support for me,’’ said Pranav. Finding a place to train and coach in Madurai was not that easy, but Pranav’s father managed to put his son in a good academy to train. “I am training at Potblack Billiards and Snooker Academy in KK Nagar at Madurai, which has the best facilities for cue sports enthusiasts. They help one learn the sport and also prepare for meets. Parthiba Rajendran is my coach. He runs the academy and is also a snooker player. He is the current districts snooker champion,’’ informed the Chethana Matriculation HSS student. Pranav is a quick learner and has made steady progress. He finished in the second place in the state in 2016 at the sub-junior level and also managed to finish in the top-32 in World U-16 Championship in 2017 and 2018. He won the state sub-junior snooker meet last year and was in splendid form in the ongoing state ranking tournament. “Hard work and regular practice helped me to do well in the state-ranking tournament. For the past 15 days, I woke up at 6 am and my coach would pick me up from home and we both practised till 8.45 am. After school, I would train again and study late in the night. This schedule has helped me excel in both studies and sports,’’ said the class 12 student. Looking up to legends Pranav draws inspiration from APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India. “Five-time snooker world champion Ronnie O’ Sullivan is also my biggest inspiration,’’ he said.

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