Aditya Mehta creates history in Germany

Aditya Mehta

Furth (Germany), Aug 23 (IANS)

Aditya Mehta became the first Indian to make the maximum break of 147 outside the country when he potted 15 reds, 15 blacks and cleared the table, in a round of 32 match at the Paul Hunter Classic snooker tournament.

World No.49 Mehta, the 29-year old from Mumbai and the only Indian on the snooker professional circuit, came up with the 147 break in the third frame against Scotland's Stephen Maguire who, however, won the match 4-2.

It was the second time that Mehta, runner-up at the Indian Open in Delhi last year, crafted a 147 break in competition following the snooker maximum in 2013 during the National selection camp in Bangalore.

Incidentally, multiple World billiards champion Geet Sethi was the first Indian to achieve the rare feat in 1987 when he made a 147 during the National championship at Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

Mehta's 147 here is the first maximum break since Ronnie O'Sullivan's at the Welsh Open in March, and the 106th in snooker history.

Mehta stands to earn the 1,500 pounds from the rolling 147 prize pot for European Tour events, as long as the break is not equalled.

The break was refereed by local German official Luise Kraatz, who was working at a professional event for the first time and taking charge of only her third match.

"It's an amazing feeling," said Mehta. "The balls opened up and I knew it was an opportunity by the time I was on 32.

"I have only made one 147 in practice and one in a match in India. I hoped one day I would be lucky enough to make one in a pro event and today it happened out of the blue."