When cue sport played the cupid

The cue stick played cupid and the green baize rolled out to help blossom their love. India’s latest cueist couple — Manan and Anuja Chandra — chanced upon each other when they were busy snookering around. The sport brought them together and has kept them so.

“I was in love with his game more than anything else,” said Anuja Chandra, former world women’s billiards champion, on the sidelines of the ongoing Otters Club All India 9-ball pool tournament.

Manan and Anuja had been dating since 2004 when they were together at the Snooker World Championships in Holland. It was in April 2007 that the couple tied the knot.

“It took lesser time for me to convince my parents than it took me to convince her,” Manan said jokingly.

After marriage, Anuja had some trouble adapting to the way the sport was played in Delhi and adapting to the new city. “It helped Manan because he finally found a partner to train with. But I was used to Mumbai where people were a lot more enthusiastic about the sport,” Anuja said.

While Anuja brings discipline in Manan’s practice sessions and routine, he helps her Anuja develop the game. “We compliment each other. There is never any kind of rivalry because our circuits are different so we understand each others’ positions in the sport and help see through rough patches,” she said.

The couple has faced each other only once in an inter-petroleum meet in 2006 when the match was one-sided favouring Manan, and they stand a faint chance of meeting each other in the ongoing tournament.

“She agrees that I am better at cue sports and that’s why she doesn’t argue over it. That’s the only matter she doesn’t argue about, I guess,” Manan said laughingly.
With cueing in their DNA, will the yet-to-come little Chandras take up the sport too?

“We don’t know yet. We haven’t really thought about it. It’s a long way away. But if they want to play the sport, then why not?” Manan quipped.