India A emerged as surprise World Cup winners on the World Women’s Snooker Tour on Monday at the Hi-End Snooker Club in Bangkok.
The pair of Amee Kamani and Anupama Ramachandran impressed throughout the international tournament and defeated favourites England A in the final.
Reanne Evans and Rebecca Kenna – both professional players on the main tour – would have been the expected champions but missed out on glory in a dramatic 4-3 defeat.
There was only one break above 50 in a nervy title-deciding battle that ebbed one way and then the other, before India sealed success in the seventh frame.
Earlier in the World Cup Kamani and Ramachandran had ended the hopes of two snooker partnerships from host nation Thailand.
In the quarter-finals, they ousted Thailand C and duly followed that up by beating a Thailand A boasting world number one Mink Nutcharut – each with 4-3 scorelines.
“It feels amazing because I started playing snooker back in 2011 and this is my first world title,” Kamani told the World Women’s Snooker Tour.
“It feels like magic and all the hard work that I have done has paid off today and this is just the start.”
“I just want to keep winning every world title. That is what I look up to, but for now I am super happy and proud because I have made my nation India proud.
“I think the biggest thrill for a sportsperson is the tricolour, the national flag going high and the national anthem in the background.
“I think that is the biggest thrill that we play for in India and I have made my nation proud by winning this world title.
“It feels amazing, I can’t even express it in words, but I think it is a prestigious world title for my country.”
Ramachandran was also delighted, saying: ““I am really happy because this has been my first tournament with World Women’s Snooker.”
“The first couple of days I was finding it really hard to adjust to the tables, it was like a completely new environment for me.
“But I just wanted to enjoy what I was doing on the table and not thinking too much about whether I win or lose. I was going shot by shot and that really helped. I have no words.”
On Tuesday, the flagship Women’s World Snooker Championship begins at the same venue.
Featured photo credit: WWS
