Aditya Mehta aims to win an international title for his daughter at Ahmedabad championships

Aditya Mehta will take the table at the Commonwealth cue sports championships in Ahmedabad from Wednesday, motivated by fatherhood after his daughter was born in January. "I still haven’t won an international tournament since my daughter’s birth. That’s a huge motivation. I’d like win a title for her," Aditya told The Hindu.

The former World No. 49, 39, says a run of injuries had disrupted his form in recent years but that he has regained a missing element of his game. "There was a bit of a lull for me in the middle. I wasn’t quite the player I used to be. I fell, and then I didn’t really know where I was going. I’ve passed that phase now. I’m very comfortable with where I am today," he said.

Mehta has adjusted how he practises, placing emphasis on intensity and efficiency during shorter sessions. "It is more about getting quality out of those two or three hours," he said. "I try to go in every day and do something a little better."

The improvement in confidence has led him to consider a return to higher-level competition after a period of uncertainty. "A few years ago, I was not really sure whether I would ever want to go back to the professional tour. But if I continue down the road I’ve been on for the last year or so, I would like to have another crack at the pro tour."

For the immediate future Mehta’s attention is on Ahmedabad and on claiming the trophy he described as a gift for his child. "I definitely feel the game is there, and I’d love to win this time."

Mehta begins his campaign at the Commonwealth cue sports championships in Ahmedabad from Wednesday as he seeks the international victory he has not yet secured since becoming a father.