Pune, Jan 29 (IANS) Former World billiards champion Chitra Magimairaj won her maiden national women’s snooker title when she beat Neena Praveen of Tamil Nadu 3-1 in the Manisha-National billiards and snooker championship here Sunday.
It has been the Bangalore-based Chitra’s longtime dream to win national title but somehow she would lose nerves at crucial juncture. Even after she won the World title in 2007, her confidence in the national championship would always flicker, something she overcame Saturday.
Starting her game tentatively, Chitra opened up a good lead against Neena, also a first time finalist, before taking the first frame 58-43 and went on to take the second 57-28.
Neena resorted to safety play in the third frame that became too dour as no player was taking chance of potting reds and clearing the table.
Instead, snooking the cue ball behind a colour ball became routine before the frame meandered into a position wherein black ball came into play.
Neena took the black ball for the frame 35-32, but Chitra was ready to start afresh in the fourth as she raced to a comfortable lead before wrapping up the frame 44-9 for a worthy win.
Earlier, Pune girl Arantxa Sanchis, who became the national billiards champion a couple of days back, was unlucky to miss the podium in the snooker championship after she lost the 3-4 placings match to Delhi youngster Keerath Bhandaal 2-1.
