Ace Indian cueist Aditya Mehta, who won a gold medal at the World Games in Cali in July, has set his sights on breaking into the top 50 of the world snooker by the end of this season.
"It has been a bit up and down in the last six months. My highest (rank) was 67 last year and I, sort of, let it slip. So I am just focusing on getting into the 64 first. The target for the end of the season would be top 50," Mehta told PTI today.
Mehta, ranked 73rd in the world, is keen to do well at the World Open as well as in the UK championship for gaining valuable ranking points.
"I need to start moving around now and get some big wins under the belt especially in the bigger events like the international championships, the UK Championships and the World Open.
"These are the three events with higher prize money and higher ranking points. Hopefully, I can do something in them," he said.
The 27-year-old said winning the World Games snooker title by defeating China's Liang Wenbo in the final, has given him the confidence to beat higher-ranked players, a trait that will hold him in good stead in the inaugural Indian Open next month.
"It gives you an extra belief that you can achieve even against the odds. A lot of the matches that I did win were against the players ranked higher than me. It shows I have the ability and keep beating the best players in the world.
"It is great for the game because it gives a bit belief to the sport in India and with the Indian Open coming up as well it is a good time for an Indian to do something like that," he added.
Mehta, who won individual bronze and team silver in the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, credited experience gained on the tough professional tour for his victory in the World Games.
