Yasin Merchant ... tournament after his name

Mumbai: Snooker star Yasin Merchant was a picture of embarrassment on Monday. He had to speak at the launch of a tournament named after him: Yasin Merchant Classic Invitation Doubles, designed by Islam Gymkhana's Yusuf Abrahani and Iqbal Khakhu. Said Yasin: "I was asking myself: how can a tournament be named after me when I am living. Then I thought: there is the Border-Gavaskar trophy named after cricket's living legends. Also there was a Bob Hope Golf Classic when the comedian was alive." That cleared, Yasin he thought aloud: "I will be trying hardest not to win." (The winner takes home Rupees One Lakh). Then came a rethink: "But again if I don't play well it will be unfair to my partner, Alok Kumar." So its anyone's guess what Yasin will do when the event is played from February 14-21. Yasin conceded: "I consulted my father Amirali and only then allowed the event to carry my name."

While one doesn't think anyone will mind Yasin and partner winning this event, snooker fans will be happier if he wins the bigger prize ... a Rs.2.5 Lakh worth billiards table instituted by leading cue sports manufacturer Niranjan Nagee. The prize will go to the first one to hit snooker's dream maximum break of 147 in this event. The only Indian to have done that in competition has been Geet Sethi who did it at the Guntur Nationals in 1988.

Report :: Pradeep Vijayakar