Sethi routs
Russell to become first Indian World Professional Champion
from the archives of
Pradeep Vijayakar ...
Geet Sethi became World Billiards
Champion on Saturday, the October 3, 1992. He beat the man who has
been described as the finest player to emerge since the war and who
has dominated billiards for the last four to five years. He did it
before a packed Regency Room at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Bombay, and
with millions of his compatriots looking on. He did it in style and
provided Mike Russell with the unusual experience, for him, of
spending long periods in his chair sitting out a succession of huge
breaks. The Englishman did not play well making only three centuries
with a top of 212, but as he said himself,
"It's difficult to play well when you have been sitting out for
half-an-hour." He does have a point, his experience of
sitting out is very limited. Russell took an early lead with 77 and
212 but Sethi's reply of 576 kept him in his chair for 35 minutes,
whilst a 141 and a 255 kept him there for another half-hour. The
climax came in the second session when the Indian looked for all the
world set for another thousand but broke down at the simplest of
cannons at 818. Operating at the spot end, the Indian played a
top-of-the-table cannon a fraction too slowly
"Amazingly, Geet missed a gentle cannon at the
top with the two object balls just an inch apart when the cue-ball,
struck at dead pace, drifted slightly off course." Michael
Ferreira. "Times of India." October 4, 1992. Ferreira also reported
that he thought that Russell did not play too badly but was frozen
out for long periods. Sethi's performance was described as
breathtaking. It must have been.
What they said:-
"He played Great Billiards." Robby
Foldvari
"Considering that he was playing in his first
World Pro Final and against a man who was also in excellent form,
and with the pressure of home country expectations heavy on his
shoulders, his performance was breathtaking." Michael
Ferreira
"Superb. There was just no-one to touch him
all week." Mark Wildman
"There's not a lot I can say. It certainly
gives you a lot to think about." Roxton Chapman
"Sethi's was a triumph of technique,
concentration, and will-power." Pradeep Vijayakar.
Mumbai -
Monday 29 July 2008
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