Anupama cueing up for glory in Commonwealth championship

After a semifinal finish in the UK Women’s Snooker Championship earlier this month, Anupama Ramachandran is turning her attention to billiards.

The reigning IBSF World Snooker champion will lead India’s challenge in English billiards at the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships, to be held in Ahmedabad from October 7 to 10.

“I’ve been playing a couple of snooker tournaments and did well in the event in the UK. I’ve been feeling more confident and feel that I’m in good touch,” Anupama told The Hindu in an virtual interaction.

“Obviously, I’m playing billiards, which is a little different. Although the games are similar, they require different skills and a different thought process. So, I’ll have to put in the hours on the billiards table.”

The 23-year-old has also been testing herself in Heyball over the last year and a half, competing at the Asian and World championships.

“Because I’ve played snooker, the potting aspect does help me. But there’s a lot of tactical play and the way you think about the game is a little different. It’s about playing more and gaining experience,” she said.

For Anupama, the Ahmedabad event also represents a significant step for cue sports in the country, particularly with billiards being included in the Commonwealth Games.

“India has a great legacy in billiards with the likes of Wilson Jones, Michael Ferreira, Geet Sethi and Pankaj Advani. We won five medals at the previous edition in Mauritius, and hopefully we can improve on that this time.”

Anupama has also been fine-tuning her technique under former Asian champion Yasin Merchant, with particular emphasis on her timing and cueing.

“I was struggling a little with my timing and cueing, and Yasin sir helped me make a few changes. It’s a slow process, but I can already see the difference in my game. I feel more comfortable with my timing and my shots now, and that has been the major change,” she said.