Ebdon Impressed
By Indian Pros
Peter Ebdon is
excited by the prospect of snooker’s first ever ranking event in
India and relishes the prospect of taking on home favourite Aditya
Mehta in the first round.
The £300,000 Indian Open runs from
October 14 to 18 at the Le' Meridian Hotel in New Delhi and will see
64 professional players bidding for the title, including the likes
of John Higgins, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson and Ding Junhui.
Former World and UK champion Ebdon has
drawn India's 27-year-old Mehta, who has already tasted success this
season by winning the gold medal at the World Games in Colombia in
August.
"I was really pleased
for Aditya when he won Gold because he has been a great ambassador
for Indian snooker," said 2002
Crucible king Ebdon.
"I have practised with him in the past and I know how talented a
player he is. I think he will start favourite in our match in New
Delhi and it will be a nice start for him if he can give a former
World Champion a battering in front of his home crowd !
"Pankaj Advani has also
been a great addition to our tour. He is a really nice lad and I
know how good he is because he's beaten me a couple of times. His
success in the billiards world is phenomenal and the way he has
adjusted to snooker and shown so much tactical awareness is
remarkable."
Ebdon played in an
invitation event in Delhi back in 1992, losing in the semi-finals to
eventual winner Steve Davis. The 43-year-old is looking forward to
returning to India although he admits uncertainty over his current
form.
"It's exciting for snooker to have a ranking
event in India for the first time," said Ebdon.
"I have got a lot of work to do on my game
and, at the moment, any match I win is a bonus. I took some time off
at the start of the season to spend a month with my kids and then
some more time on holiday in Europe with my wife. I missed a couple
of the European Tour events and I am still getting my game back."
"The calendar is so full now that it’s important to take a break at
some point and hopefully I can come on strong now for the big
tournaments. I’m not happy being ranked in the low 20s. I want to be
in the top 16 and I still consider myself a potential tournament
winner."
Mumbai ::
26 September
2013
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