The Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds, England, happened to be the venue where history was written at the World Professional Billiards Championship, on Sunday - with the 24-year-old Indian cueist Pankaj Advani beating the defending champion and the nine times title holder Mike Russell, 2,030-1,253!

Advani's historic win at Leeds marks only the second time, in the 139-year-old records of the World Professional Billiards Championship, when an Indian has been able to clinch the title - the first Indian title-holder one being the Geet Sethi.

In the rather tough Saturday evening semi-final, Advani was 77 behind fellow Indian Dhruv Sitwala, when there were only 13 minutes left for the close of play; however, he played out time with 142, to eventually win by 55.

A recipient of India's highest sporting honor, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2005-06, Advani is already the title-holder of several prestigious championships - including the
2003 World Amateur Snooker Championship in China; the 2005 World Amateur Billiards Championship in Qawra, Malta, where he won two world titles, for the amateur billiards as well as snooker; and the 2006 Asian Games gold medal at Doha.

In addition, by wining the both the points and timed formats at the World Amateur Billiards Championships in 2005 and 2008, Advani became the only player who has achieved the enviable 'grand double' feat!