VIDYA ON TOP OF THE WORLD

Bengaluru: Seasoned cueist Vidya Pillai gifted herself an early birthday present, the one she has been aiming for in over a decade. After six failed attempts in the final, Vidya, who will turn 46 on Sunday, finally ascended the World throne. This is the first individual world snooker title by an Indian woman.The Bengalurean came up with a splendid show, beating all en route to the IBSF 6-Red Snooker World Championship in Doha, Qatar, on Friday night. Vidya outplayed fellow Indian Anupama Ramachandran 4-1 in the title clash.“It hasn’t sunk in yet. So many people are so happy for me. I am completely at a loss for words,” Vidya told TOI soon after her victory. “It has been a long wait. So many finals, so many close matches. But this one is special. Special because I really had a tough half. I had Ng On Yee of Hong Kong in the quarters, Bai Yulu of China in the semis. It feels good to have a convincing win, beating two World champions — On Yee and Yulu – en route.” Barring her battle with Yulu in the semifinals, Vidya was hardly troubled in her march to the title. She topped Group ‘A’ with an all-win record and then outplayed compatriot Varshaa Sanjeev 3-0 in the pre-quarters. Next up for the the 10-time 15-red snooker national champion was On Yee. However, Vidya raised her level a few notches to floor the Hong Kong player 4-0, without breaking a sweat. She had a run of 33 in the second frame and a sizzling 63 clearance in the fourth. On Yee, reduced to a spectator, won a mere 15 points in the entire match. Vidya, who lost to Yulu in the semis of the 15-red event four days ago, began on a poor note, going down 0-2 in the best-of-seven-frame semifinal. But Vidya, known for her grit and a never-say-die attitude, fought to level frame scores and downed the Chinese player in the decider by taking the last two reds, and the colours. After the early resistance in the final, Anupama was no match for Vidya, who lost both the 15-red and 6-red final last year from a winning position in Turkey. The near misses may have broken anybody’s resolve, but not Vidya’s. “Hope is something that we all live with,” Vidya had said after her agonizing loss in the final of the Eden World Women’s Snooker Championship in Singapore to On Yee. “I never gave up hope.”“This year has been great for me. I won two pool National titles, National Games gold, bronze in the 15-red Worlds four days ago, and now this gold, which is very, very special,” she signed off.Vidya also played a big role for Asia ‘B’ in their triumph at the WCBS team Championship in Ankara in July.Results: Final: Vidya Pillai (Ind) bt Anupama Ramachandran (Ind) 4-1 (43-6, 0-39, 43-6, 60-12, 33-22). Semis: Vidya bt Bai Yulu (Chn) 4-3 (12-53, 20-48, 49-26, 38-5, 35-7, 13-55, 44-24); Anupama bt Narantuya Bayarsaikhan (Mgl) 4-3 (30-42, 17-39, 18-35, 56-7, 52-1, 48 (40) -29, 35-19).Quarters: Vidya bt Ng On Yee (HK) 4-0 (39-9, 37-1, 49-4, 64 (63) -0); Yulu bt Arantxa Sanchis (Ind) 4-0 (74 (74) -0; 40-1, 42-16, 35-13); Narantuya bt Diana Stateczny (Pol) 4-2; Anupama bt Wendy Jans (Bel) 4-3 (26-34, 18-40, 37-4, 41-35, 37-22, 18-28, 48 (43) -1). Pre-quarters: Arantxa bt Ishika Shah (Ind) 3-0; Vidya bt Varshaa Sanjeev 3-0 (40-0, 33-26, 42-30); Anupama bt Ewa Pawinska (Pol) 3-1.
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