Han Yu Wins WPA Women’s World 9-Ball Championship

Han Yu
Han Yu
Sha Sha Liu (Photo Courtesy of Alison Chang)
We have very limited information coming out of China. What we have at this point is the results from the first day of matches:
2015 CHINA OPEN RESULTS – Day 1
MEN
Group A – First Round
Carlo Biado PHI / Chen Shuangyou CHN 9/6
Lee Van Corteza PHI / Oi Naoyuki JPN 9/4
Zhu Hongming CHN / Daryl Peach GBR 9/8
Chu Binjie CHN / Thorsten Hohmann GER 9/6
Loser’s Side
Oi Naoyuki JPN / Chen Shuangyou CHN 9/3
Thorsten Hohmann GER / Daryl Peach GBR 9/6
Winner’s Side
Lee Van Corteza PHI / Carlo Biado PHI 9/6
Chu Binjie CHN / Zhu Hongming CHN 9/5
Group B – First Round
Fu Jianbo CHN / Johann Chua PHI 9/4
Dang Jinhu CHN / Jeong Young Hwa KOR 9/6
Fu Zhewei TPE / Bashar Hussein QAT 9/7
Albin Ouschan AUT / Alejandro Carvajal CHI 9/6
Loser’s Side
Johann Chua PHI / Jeong Young Hwa KOR 9/7
Bashar Hussein QAT / Alejandro Carvajal CHI 9/8
Winner’s Side
Dang Jinhu CHN / Fu Jianbo CHN 9/2
Fu Zhewei TPE / Albin Ouschan AUT 9/8
Group C – First Round
Niels Feijen NED / Alexander Kazakis GRE 9/4
Marc Bijsterbosch NED / Enrique Rojas CHI 9/4
Jeffrey Ignacio PHI / Toru Kuribayashi JPN 9/5
Nick Economopoulos GRE / Karol Skowerski POL 9/6
Loser’s Side
Enrique Rojas CHI / Alexander Kazakis GRE 9/4
Toru Kuribayashi JPN / Karol Skowerski POL 9/5
Winner’s Side
Marc Bijsterbosch NED / Niels Feijen NED 9/8
Jeffrey Ignacio PHI / Nick Economopoulos GRE 9/4
Group D – First Round
Warren Kiamco PHI / Zhou Long CHN 9/7
Ralf Souquet GER / Mateusz Sniegocki POL 9/8
Fan Zhisong CHN / Denis Grabe EST 9/8
Darren Appleton GBR / Moh Ali Pordel IRI 9/2
Loser’s Side
Mateusz Sniegocki POL / Zhou Long CHN 9/7
Denis Grabe EST / Moh Ali Pordel IRI 9/7
Winner’s Side
Warren Kiamco PHI / Ralf Souquet GER 9/8
Darren Appleton GBR / Fan Zhisong CHN 9/3
Group E – First Round
Zhong Yulong TPE / Wen Yu NZL 9/4
Mika Immonen FIN / Justin Cambell AUS 9/8
Wu Jiaqing CHN / Hamzaa Moh Saeed Ali ERI 9/5
Wang Can CHN / Radoslaw Babica POL 9/4
Group F – First Round
Li Hewen CHN / Jalal Yousef VEN 9/3
Do Thekien VIE / John Morra CAN 9/6
Francisco Diaz Pizarro ESP / Hunter Lombardo USA 9/5
David Alcaide ESP / Liu Haitao CHN 9/4
Group G – First Round
Do Hoang Quan VIE / Shane Van Boening USA 9/3
Karl Boyes GBR / Jason Klatt CAN 9/7
Xu Kailun TPE / Moh Hasan Al Hosani UAE 9/5
Xu Xiacong CHN / Dennis Orcullo PHI 9/6
Group H – First Round
Zhen Yuxuan TPE / Zang Ronglin TPE 9/8
Ke Bingzhong TPE / Matthew Edwards NZL 9/6
Nick Van Den Berg NED / Jassem Al Hasawi KUW 9/4
Ke Bingyi TPE / Aloysius Yapp SIN 9/6
WOMEN
Group A – First Round
Liu Shasha CHN Bye
Kawahara Chihiro JPN / Annette Grigg AUS 7/1
Wang Xiaotong CHN / Chai Zeethuey 7/1
Bai Ge CHN Bye
Winner’s Side
Liu Shasha CHN / Kawahara Chihiro JPN 7/1
Bai Ge CHN / Wang Xiaotong CHN 7/3
Group B – First Round
Pan Xiaoting CHN Bye
Park Eunji KOR / Sh Enkhsetseg MON 7/1
Kuo Siting TPE / Wuang Chen CHN 7/6
Allison Fisher GBR Bye
Winner’s Side
Pan Xiaoting CHN / Park Eunji KOR 7/1
Allison Fisher GBR / Kuo Siting TPE 7/3
Group C – First Round
Kelly Fisher GBR Bye
Wesolowska Katarzyna POL / B Uyanga MON 7/2
Gao Meng CHN / Karen Corr IRL 7/6
Lin Yanjun TPE Bye
Winner’s Side
Kelly Fisher GBR / Wesolowska Katarzyna POL 7/3
Lin Yanjun TPE / Gao Meng CHN 7/5
Group D – First Round
Angeline Ticoalu INA Bye
Oliwia Czuprynska POL / Keiko Yukawa JPN 7/4
Claudia Kunz SUI / Natalia Seroshtan RUS 7/5
Kim Ga Young KOR Bye
Winner’s Side
Angeline Ticoalu INA / Oliwia Czuprynska POL 7/5
Kim Ga Young KOR / Claudia Kunz SUI 7/4
Group E – First Round
Chen Siming CHN Bye
Liu Xinmei CHN / Chen Chunzhen USA 7/4
Hyun Jiwon KOR / Molrudee Kasemchaiyanan NZL 7/4
Zhou Jieyu TPE Bye
Winner’s Side
Chen Siming CHN / Liu Xinmei CHN 7/5
Zhou Jieyu TPE / Hyun Jiwon KOR 7/3
Group F – First Round
Chen Heyum TPE Bye
Chen Xue CHN / Wu Zhiting TPE 7/4
Doanthi Ngocle VIE / Wu Jing CHN 7/4
Fu Xiaofang CHN Bye
Winner’s Side
Chen Heyum TPE / Chen Xue CHN 7/6
Fu Xiaofang CHN / Doanthi Ngocle VIE 7/3
Group G – First Round
Rubelin Amit PHI Bye
Zhou Doudou CHN / Jasmin Ouschan AUT 7/1
Chezka Centeno PHI / Zheng Xiaochun CHN 7/4
Wei Ziqian TPE Bye
Winner’s Side
Zhou Doudou CHN / Rubelin Amit PHI 7/3
Wei Ziqian TPE / Chezka Centeno PHI 7/5
Group H – First Round
Liu Yichen CHN Bye
Su Yiyun TPE / Tan Huiming SIN 7/1
Jiang Teng CHN / Choi Sollip KOR 7/4
Yu Han CHN Bye
Winner’s Side
Liu Yichen CHN / Su Yiyun TPE 7/2
Yu Han CHN / Su Yiyun TPE 7/3
Xiao Fang Fu
With the knockout stages underway at the Women's World 9-ball Championship in Guilin, China, the pressure is already proving too much to bear for some players.
Kelly Fisher
Facing sudden elimination on Day 1, Great Britain's Kelly Fisher shows Austria's Jasmin Ouschan the door and survives to play another day at the Women's World 9-ball Championship
Kelly Fisher has been around professional pool long enough to know that sometimes in this sport, as in life, you have to go through hell to get to heaven.
Ladies from around the world traveled to Manila for just the chance to make it to the main event
Ga Young Kim (photo courtesy of Tai Chengzhe/top147.com)
A SHOOTOUT'S IN THE OFFING AS THE WOMEN'S WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP GETS DOWN TO THE FINAL 16
(Shenyang, China)–After a day of ups and downs as only 9-ball pool can offer up, the 2013 Women’s World 9-ball Championship has been whittled down to 16 players. And a quick glance at the line-up ready to do battle over the next two days tells you clearly that this is going to be one fun ride to the biggest prize in women’s pool.
Fu Xiofang, Liu Shasha, Pan Xiaoting, Allison Fisher, Ga Young Kim
As the 2013 Women's World 9-Ball Championship Begins in Shenyang, China, the organizers give the ladies a send-off fit for Queens.
(Shenyang, China)–Anyone who has ever been to any kind of event in China knows the importance that the Chinese place on ceremony. Everyone, especially the organizers, and other local dignitaries who didn’t even have anything to do with putting the event together, are all given their moment to shine, usually with long winded speeches that nobody listens to. Guests are made to feel that they are about to get the keys to the Forbidden City in Beijing. Often times food is involved, lots of it, as well as copious amounts of alcoholic drink. Teenage girls in elaborate get-ups dance to some loud and catchy song. Throngs of rabid photographers swarm the event recording it all.
And so it was at the opening ceremony of the 2013 WPA Women’s World 9-ball Championship on Thursday night inside the ultra-hip Richgate Shopping Center complex here in Shenyang.
For some reason, the organizers didn’t throw out the succulent spread of Chinese delicacies. But as usual, they spared no effort in providing plenty of pomp and pageantry.
As teams of youngsters scurried about preparing the arena for the event, orchestral music filled the atrium, as dozens of photographers and hundreds of fans and onlookers waited for the event to begin. At one end of the mall, towering over a Star pool table, a giant LED screen flashed information about the event’s title sponsor, a giant construction company named the Guoao Group.
The festivities began with some sort of press conference. I say “some sort of” because in China, the press doesn’t really ask proper questions. Any questions are usually giant “softballs” designed to let the person answering enumerate all the positives of the event and the people involved. Nothing controversial will ever be brought up.
After several minutes the chairs were pushed aside and the entertainment commenced. The theme for this year’s Women’s World 9-ball Championship is “All Stars” and “Shine 9-ball,” and the two phrases are plastered on every poster throughout the mall. Suddenly an all-girl band appeared on the floor. They carried instruments like the violin, guitar, flute, keyboard, all wrapped in brightly colored blue LED lights. They wore knee-high leather boots, wide-frilly skirts, and had microphones attached to their cheeks.
The loud catchy music commenced and they girls went into action, dancing to the music, pretending to play their instruments. Right from the start it was obvious they were just miming as several of the instruments were clearly broken. Still, the effect was pretty cool.
When the polite applause died down, it was time to bring on the main event of the evening. The introduction of the players. In one of the more bizarre juxtapositions one could find anywhere on the planet, the theme of the classic American western movie, The Magnificent Seven, filled the hall as the lady emcee brought out the players. And what an entrance it was.
There’s an escalator that descends straight into the atrium and the organizers had each of the players descend down the escalator as they were being introduced. First up was defending champion Kelly Fisher of Great Britain. As she slowly descended, a phalanx of photographers clicked away furiously down at the bottom. Kelly, clearly awed and delighted at the attention, waived and smiled. She then walked through the gauntlet of pool paparazzi, and posed next to the pool table, as camera flashes filled the air. Next she walked over to a wall that had been set up with a giant tournament poster. She signed a styrofoam star, then stuck the star onto one of the blank stars of the poster.(All Stars..get it?). She then turned and posed for another wall of photographers. Finally she took her seat in the audience.
The big stars each got their own introduction and it was fashion and glamor straight down the line. China’s Fu Xiaofang stunned in an all black dress. Her close friend Liu Shasha elicited a few ooh and ahhs with a sporty new hairstyle and a colourful outfit. Many of the European players were dressed in their finest, this their one and only opportunity to shine like nowhere on else on earth.
Some of the biggest responses were given to Korea’s Ga Young Kim. With her dramatic looks and sense of flair, Kim is a total natural at this sort of thing. She just oozed glamor in her white strapless dress which the Chinese clearly went gaga over as she milked the cameras for every last ounce of publicity.
Another popular player was Korea’s Yu Ram Cha. Yu Ram clearly has the look that Chinese fans adore; Petite, demur, regal and cute all wrapped up into one. One could say she has the look of a, well, China doll. The pool paparazzi simply went bonkers when she descended that escalator.
The biggest applause of the evening was reserved for the legend, Pan Xiaoting. Pan fits the bill for the Chinese public in every sense of the word. Pretty, demure, polite and a great player to boot. She was the original pioneer in Chinese pool. Pan, known nationwide here as "the Queen of 9-ball," was the first Chinese player to win a world 9-ball Championship(2007). She also spent a fair amount of time playing in the US.
The introduction phase when on for thirty minutes. I must point out that for the Chinese players, this type of kick off to a tournament is clearly par for the course. Pool in this country is considered a proper sport, backed by the government with real money and training no different than the gruelling training that gymnasts and swimmers go through. And why not? Pool is after all, under the Olympic umbrella.
But for the foreign players in the event, being greeted in this grand fashion was obviously a wide-eyed experience that they won’t soon forget. Outside of China, and perhaps the Philippines, pool is a sport often looked down upon by the powers that be and society at large. Pool players are generally not even allowed into pool halls until they are 18 years old.
These foreign players will never, ever be greeted by adoring fans and rabid photographers. No matter that much of the adoration had nothing to do with their ability to play the sport at the top level. That this was more akin to a fashion show, and a pageant didn’t matter one darn bit.
“That was really nice,” said Austria’s Jasmin Ouschan of the introduction. “We don’t get treated like that anywhere else except here in China.”
*The 2013 WPA Women’s World 9-ball Championship gets underway August 9 at the Richgate Shopping Center in historical Shenyang, China. The players will be divided into 8 groups of 8 players. They will play a double elimination format in the group stage, race to seven, alternate break. The top four players from each group will progress to the final 32, where the format will become single elimination knockout, race to 9, alternate break. The final, to be played on Monday August 12, will be a race to 11.
The winner of the 2103 WPA Women’s World 9-ball Championship will receive $40,000 while the runner up will receive $20,000. The total prize fund is $150,000.
The World Pool-Billiard Association(WPA) will be on hand in Shenyang throughout the week bringing you all the drama from the 2013 Women’s World 9-ball Championship. WPA Press Officer Ted Lerner will be reporting from the Richgate Shopping Center with daily articles containing insight and analysis, as well as photos. Ted will also be manning the WPA Facebook page and Twitter feed and responding to fans queries and comments. Fans can also follow all matches via the WPA live scoring platform.
Please visit the WPA Facebook page for the 2013 Women’s World 9-ball Championship here; http://www.facebook.com/
Follow the WPA on Twitter: @poolwpa
Visit the official website of the WPA at www.wpapool.com
*The 2013 Women’s World 9-ball will be held in Shenyang, China from August 6-12, and is sanctioned by the World Pool & Billiard Association(WPA). 64 women players from across the globe will compete for the biggest prize in Women’s Pool. The 2013 Women’s World 9-ball Championship is a WPA ranking event.
Photo courtesy of Tai Chengze/top147.com
Group A
Kelly Fisher(GBR)
Wendy Cook Berylin(NZL)
Wei Tzu Chein(TPE)
Angeline Magdalena Ticaalu(INA)
Wang Xiaotong(CHN)
Amanda Rahayu(INA)
Chichiro Kawahara(JPN)
Group B
Lai Hui Shan(TPE)
Mirjana Grujici(VEN)
Nouchi Masam(
Caroline Roos(SWE)
Iris Ranola(PHL)
Meenal Thakur(IND)
Wu Zhi Ting(TPE)
Chou Chieh-Yu(TPE)
Group C
Kim Ga Young(KOR)
Li Jia(CHN)
Lyndall Hulley(AUS)
Park Eunji(KOR)
Chang Chiung-Wen(TPE)
Chen Xue(CHN)
Bi Zhuqing(CHN)
Lin Yuan-Chun(TPE)
Group D
Allison Fisher(GBR)
Choi Sullip
Charlene Chai(SIN)
Susanna Booyens(RSA)
Jennifer Barretta(USA)
Chan Ya Ting(TPE)
Zhou Doudou(CHN)
Fu Xiaofang(CHN)
Group E
Chen Siming(CHN)
Ana Gradisnik(SLO)
Jung Bo Ra(KOR)
Sone Kyoko(JPN)
Rebecca Tsang(HKG)
Wu Jing(CHN)
Jennifer Vietz(GER)
Cha Yu Ram(KOR)
Group F
Rubelin Amit(PHL)
Gao Meng(CHN)
Martine Christiansen(NOR)
Pan Xiaoting(CHN)
Huang Yi Ting(TPE)
Taylor Meyer(AUS)
Natalia Seroshtan(RUS)
Tsai Pei Chen(TPE)
Group G
Tan Ho-Yun(TPE)
Akimi Kajatani(JPN)
Brittany Bryant(CAN)
He Hsin Ju(CHN)
Ina Kaplan(GER)
Bai Ge(CHN)
Karen Corr(IRL)
Jasmin Ouschan(AUT)
Group H
Han Yu(CHN)
Cheung Pui Man(HKG)
Anna Mazhirina(RUS)
Jiang Teng(CHN)
Ine Helvik(NOR)
Severine Titaux(FRA)
Lin Hsiao Chi(TPE)
Liu Shasha(CHN)
Karen Corr, photo courtesy Tai Chengze/top147.com
Hall of Famer Karen Corr Continues Her Comeback With Two Wins on Day 1
(Shenyang, China)–To say that Karen Corr is a big name in the sport of women’s professional pool would be quite the massive understatement. In a career spanning 13 years in the US, the native of Northern Ireland has won just about everything there is to win in pool, including 15 Classic Tour titles, four BCA Open titles, three WPBA National Championships and three Tournament of Champions titles. In 2012 Corr was rewarded for her accomplishments with the greatest accolade of them all; she was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America(BCA) Hall of Fame.
Corr, however, arrived in Shenyang, China this week for the 2013 Women’s World 9-ball Championship practically unnoticed. In 2011 she stepped away from the game to care for her dying mother, who passed away in July of last year. Late last year, however, Corr decided to come back to pool. And clearly she’s got plenty of the legendary fight left in her.
In her first match of the tournament on Day 1 here in Shenyang, Corr found herself up against the formidable Jasmine Ouschan of Austria. Down 6-3 in a race to 7, Corr pounced on several horrid mistakes by Ouschan, and ended up taking a miraculous win, 7-6.
Later, in a winner’s side match for a slot in the final 32 knockout stage, Corr looked rock solid and handily defeated Germany’s Ina Kaplan, 7-4.
Afterward, Corr explained how this tournament just might be her last go around in pool.
“I need a good result or that’s it,” the 42 year old said. “I’m going to retire from pool.”
Corr said she traveled to Shenyang on her own dime. With the tight economy back home combined with her time away from the game, she has found it near impossible to find any backing whatsoever. The lack of playing opportunities hasn’t helped either.
“I think I’m going to have to find a real job.”
A good result, according to Corr, means nothing short of winning the World Championship this week. While her lengthy sabbatical would seem to mean her chances of taking the trophy are quite slim, Corr has had more than a little success in this event in the past. Four times she’s finished runner up in the World 9-ball Championship, the last in 2009, when she lost 9-5 to 16 year old Liu Shasha, after leading 5-1.
And then, of course, there’s that old saying, something about playing loose when nobody, even yourself, expects you to do anything.
“I have no expectations,” Corr said, “which I guess is a good thing.”
One who did come into this event with plenty of expectations was Corr’s first opponent today, Ouschan, who shockingly went two and out and will be flying back to Austria tomorrow. Ouschan’s quick exit, and how it happened, was easily the biggest story of the day inside the warm and humid Richgate Shopping Center.
After blowing her match against Corr, Ouschan came up against China’s formidable Bai Ge on the losers side. Ouschan played catch-up throughout the match and at 6-4 down it looked to be curtains as she scratched on the break. But then Bai incredibly blew a massively easy 9-ball to hand the Austrian a lifeline. At 6-5, Bai again choked on a run out and the score was tied at 6 all. After Bai scratched in the final rack, Ouschan was running the colors when she inexplicably bobble a fairly straight in 7 ball in the jaws and lost the match.
Most of pool’s other big names rolled through to the final 32 today. Defending champion Kelly Fisher didn’t look her championship best, but it was good enough to win two straight and start fresh in the knockout stage Saturday. She said the conditions were difficult to get used to.
“I’m playing good but I’m also making silly mistakes,” Fisher said. “I’m getting used to the conditions. It’s very hot out there. I have to get more control of the cue. I stepped it up here and there. I’m not thinking of repeating. I can’t get a better result than last year. I just take each match as it comes.”
World number 2 Liu Shasha of China won two straight to qualify, as did fellow Chinese and world number 3 Chen Siming. World number 4 and 2010 World 9-ball Champion, and last year’s runner up, Fu Xiaofang lost her first match to fellow Chinese Zhou Doudou. Fu bounced back with a solid 7-2 win over the USA’s Jennifer Baretta.
Fu will play on Friday for a spot in the final 32 against Hall of Famer, and four time winner of this event, Allison Fisher. Fisher lost her second match of the day against Singapore’s Charlene Chai, 7- 3.
China’s superstar and “Queen of 9-ball,” Pan Xiaoting, kept the home fans delighted as she won two straight matches on the TV table to reach the round of 32.
Another notable who qualified with two straight wins was Taiwans’s Chieh-Yu Chou. Chieh, who just won gold at the World Games in Columbia, was a semi-finalist here last year and is the currently number one player in Taiwan and world number 8. Her game looks unflappable and fans can expect to see her go far again this year.
Another popular player looking solid is Korea’s Ga Young Kim. Kim, who won two straight today to qualify, recently won the ladies division at the Ultimate 10-ball tournament in the US. After routing fellow Korean Park Eunji 7-0, Kim said she is better prepared to win this year. Last year during this same event she was in the middle of training for her appearance on Korea’s Dancing With the Stars. She actually flew in her dance partner to Shenyang to train four hours of dancing between matches. Without such distractions this year, and a recent win under her belt, Kim has to be one of the strong favorites to lift the trophy on Monday.
“I’d love to have another title,” she said.
Play continues on Saturday with the last rounds on the losers side of the brackets. The round of 32 single elimination knockout will also be played tomorrow leaving 16 players left at the end of play Saturday. Four players will be left afterSunday. The semi-finals and finals will be played on Monday.
The winner of the 2103 WPA Women’s World 9-ball Championship will receive $40,000 while the runner up will receive $20,000. The total prize fund is $150,000.
*The World Pool-Billiard Association(WPA) will be on hand in Shenyang throughout the week bringing you all the drama from the 2013 Women’s World 9-ball Championship. WPA Press Officer Ted Lerner will be reporting from the Richgate Shopping Center with daily articles containing insight and analysis, as well as photos. Ted will also be manning the WPA Facebook page and Twitter feed and responding to fans queries and comments. Fans can also follow all matches via the WPA live scoring platform.
Please visit the WPA Facebook page for the 2013 Women’s World 9-ball Championship here;http://www.facebook.com/
Follow the WPA on Twitter: @poolwpa
Visit the official website of the WPA at www.wpapool.com
*The 2013 Women’s World 9-ball will be held in Shenyang, China from August 6-12, and is sanctioned by the World Pool & Billiard Association(WPA). 64 women players from across the globe will compete for the biggest prize in Women’s Pool. The 2013 Women’s World 9-ball Championship is a WPA ranking event.
RESULTS FROM DAY 1
Group A
Kelly Fisher(GBR) 7 -0 Wendy Cook Berylin(NZL)
Wei Tzu Chein(TPE) 7 – 3 Hou Shu Wah(CHN)
Wang Xiaotong(CHN) 7 – 5 Angeline Magdalena Ticaalu(INA)
Chichiro Kawahara(JPN) 7- 1 Amanda Rahayu(INA)
Group B
Lai Hui Shan(TPE) 7 – 0 Mirjana Grujici(VEN)
Nouchi Masam( ) 7 – 5 Caroline Roos(SWE)
Iris Ranola(PHL) 7- 5 Meenal Thakur(IND)
Chou Chieh-Yu(TPE) 7 – 0 Wu Zhi Ting(TPE)
Group C
Kim Ga Young(KOR) 7 – 6 Li Jia(CHN)
Park Eunji(KOR) 7 – 5 Lyndall Hulley(AUS)
Chen Xue(CHN) 7 – 6 Chang Chiung-Wen(TPE)
Lin Yuan-Chun(TPE) 7 – 4 Bi Zhuqing(CHN)
Group D
Allison Fisher(GBR) 7 – 4 Choi Sullip
Charlene Chai(SIN) 7 – 2 Susanna Booyens(RSA)
Chan Ya Ting(TPE) 7 – 3 Jennifer Barretta(USA)
Zhou Doudou(CHN) 7 – 5 Fu Xiaofang(CHN)
Group E
Chen Siming(CHN) 7 – 1 Ana Gradisnik(SLO)
Sone Kyoko(JPN) 7 – 5 Jung Bo Ra(KOR)
Wu Jing(CHN) 7 – 2 Rebecca Tsang(HKG)
Jennifer Vietz(GER) 7 – 5 Cha Yu Ram(KOR)
Group F
Gao Meng(CHN) 7 – 5 Rubelin Amit(PHL)
Pan Xiaoting(CHN) 7 – 0 Martine Christiansen(NOR)
Huang Yi Ting(TPE) 7 – 4 Taylor Meyer(AUS)
Tsai Pei Chen(TPE ) 7 – 2 Natalia Seroshtan(RUS)
Group G
Tan Ho-Yun(TPE) 7 – 4 Akimi Kajatani(JPN)
He Hsin Ju(CHN) 7 – 4 Brittany Bryant(CAN)
Ina Kaplan(GER) 7 – 5 Bai Ge(CHN)
Karen Corr(IRL) 7 – 6 Jasmin Ouschan(AUT)
Group H
Han Yu(CHN) 7 – 2 Cheung Pui Man(HKG)
Anna Mazhirina(RUS) 7 – 6 Jiang Teng(CHN)
Ine Helvik(NOR) 7 – 6 Severine Titaux(FRA)
Liu Shasha(CHN) 7 – 1 Lin Hsiao Chi(TPE)
Day 1, Losers Bracket
Loser is out, winner gets 1 more chance to qualify on Saturday
Group A
Hou Shu Wah(CHN) 7 – 0 Wendy Cook Berylin(NZL)
Angeline Magdalena Ticaalu(INA) 7 – 5 Amanda Rahayu(INA)
Group B
Caroline Roos(SWE) 7 – 4 Mirjana Grujici(VEN)
Wu Zhi Ting(TPE)7 – 4 Meenal Thakur(IND)
Group C
Li Jia(CHN) 7 – 3 Lyndall Hulley(AUS
Bi Zhuqing(CHN) 7 – 4 Chang Chiung-Wen(TPE
Group D
Fu Xiaofang(CHN) 7 – 2 Jennifer Barretta(USA)
Choi Sullip( ) 7 – 1 Susanna Booyens(RSA)
Group E
Cha Yu Ram(KOR) 7 – 0 Rebecca Tsang(HKG)
Jung Bo Ra(KOR) 7 – 5 Ana Gradisnik(SLO)
Group F
Rubelin Amit(PHL)7 – 3 Martine Christiansen(NOR)
Natalia Seroshtan(RUS) 7 – 3 Taylor Meyer(AUS)
Group G
Bai Ge(CHN) 7 – 6 Jasmin Ouschan(AUT)
Akimi Kajatani(JPN) 7 – 6 Brittany Bryant(CAN)
Group H
Cheung Pui Man(HKG) 7 – 0 Jiang Teng(CHN)
Lin Hsiao Chi(TPE) 7 – 0 Severine Titaux(FRA)
Winners Bracket, 2nd round
Winner goes thru to final 32, Loser goes to losers side of the bracket for one more chance to qualify on Saturday
Group A
Kelly Fisher(GBR) 7 – 4 Wei Tzu Chein(TPE)
Chichiro Kawahara(JPN) 7 – 5 Wang Xiaotong(CHN)
Group B
Chou Chieh-Yu(TPE) 7 – 5 Iris Ranola(PHL)
Nouchi Masami(JPN) 7 – 2 Lai Hui Shan(TPE)
Group C
Kim Ga Young(KOR) 7 – 0 Park Eunji(KOR)
Lin Yuan-Chun(TPE) 7 – 2 Chen Xue(CHN)
Group D
Charlene Chai(SIN) 7 – 3 Allison Fisher(GBR)
Chan Ya Ting(TPE) 7 – 5 Zhou Doudou(CHN)
Group E
Chen Siming(CHN) 7 – 1 Sone Kyoko(JPN)
Wu Jing(CHN) 7 – 1 Jennifer Vietz(GER)
Group F
Pan Xiaoting(CHN) 7 – 5 Gao Meng(CHN)
Tsai Pei Chen(TPE ) 7 – 2 Huang Yi Ting(TPE)
Group G
He Hsin Ju(CHN) 7 – 5 Tan Ho-Yun(TPE)
Karen Corr(IRL) 7 – 4 Ina Kaplan(GER)
Group H
Han Yu(CHN) 7 -4 Anna Mazhirina(RUS)
Liu Shasha(CHN) 7 -3 Ine Helvik(NOR)
IT'S THE THRILL OF VICTORY AND THE AGONY OF DEFEAT AS JUDGEMENT DAY TAKES ITS TOLL AT THE CHINA OPEN 9-BALL
(Shanghai)--There’s nothing quite like Judgement Day in the world of professional pool. Otherwise known as the Day of Reckoning, it’s when dozens upon dozens of matches take place in the group stages, all trying to determine who will still be around for the money rounds, and who will be sent packing without a dime to spend on even a soft drink. Yes, pool can be a cruel sport, but it’s also the reason those who follow it love the action. Sometimes whole careers ride on the smallest turn of the ball.
And so it was on Day 2 of the 2013 China Open in rainy Shanghai. Inside the cavernous and chilly Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium arena, the emotions were running on overdrive with the world’s best men and women pool players each desperately trying to reach the single elimination knockout stage of their respective tournaments which begin in earnest Saturday.
For the men, their field began with 64 players on day 1 and has now been whittled down to 32. For the women, the field started with 48 players and is now down to the final 16.
Few were immune to the drama today. World 9-ball Champion and world number 3 Darren Appleton thought he was cruising through to the knockout stage as he was up 7-3 in a race to 9 on the TV table against China’s 19 year up and comer Wang Can. But Can, who has spent some time playing pool in the US, turned the tables on the Brit and stormed back and grabbed an 8-7 lead. Appleton went from counting his chickens, to realizing he might have to play again later to stave off a shock elimination. But if anyone can play with their back against the wall it’s Appleton, and the 9-ball king grit his teeth and pulled out the win to advance.
Appleton was clearly ecstatic afterwards and said he was nearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the moment.
“I was under serious pressure at the end,” he said. “It was like a semi-final at the world championship.”
Appleton has few if any weaknesses in his stellar game, but he revealed that he sometimes lets his attention lapse when he gets a big lead.
“In every major tournament I’ve won I never make it easy. I consider myself a bulldog, a fierce player. I like to scrap, sort of like a counter puncher in boxing. But when I have a big lead I tend to lose that intensity. I need that scrap. My mindset was when I was 8-7 down that I will probably dog the shot, so I might as well go for it. I need to sort out my attitude when I get a big lead.”
While Appleton went off to breath easy, Cam had to do it all over again, this time against Dutch star Niels Feijen. Feijen had lost his first match yesterday against the former two time world champion Wu Jiaqing(formerly Wu Chia Ching) who now lives and plays out of Shenzen, China. Feijen had earlier beat his good friend and countryman Nick Van Den Berg in a do or die match, 9-7. Against Can, Feijen was up 8-5, but Can fought his way back to tie it at 8 for a one rack decider. Feijen pulled it out to advance while Can was left to wonder what might have been.
The pressure matches kept popping up around the arena. Greece’s Nick Ekonomopolous, who had earlier lost to Wu, went hill-hill with Venezuela’s Jalal Yousef, who was sure he was about to claim one of his biggest scalps. But a fluked 4-ball off a jump propelled the burly Greek into the knockout stages, while Yousef stormed out of the arena in disgust.
Germany’s Thorsten Hohmann advanced but not without some heart palpitations, as he won two straight hill-hill matches. Hohmann’s countryman, Hall of Famer Ralf Souquet, had to battle back from the losers side and barely got by China’s Liu Haitao in a do or die match, 9-8.
The Philippines’ two biggest stars played drama free as defending champion Dennis Orcollo advanced to the final 32 with an airtight 9 – 7 win over Austria’s young gun Albin Ouschan 9-7. Lee Van Corteza also advanced with his second straight, a 9-6 win over Vietnam’s Do The Kien.
The Philippines’ Jeffrey De Luna will surely be trying to forget Judgement Day. De Luna flew to China without a place in the tournament and won one of the brutally tough qualifiers earlier in the week. Yesterday De Luna was millimetres away from a spot in the money rounds, only to lose on the last ball. Then today, playing against fellow Pinoy Carlo Biado, De Luna squandered his fortune again losing 9-8 after up being 8-7. Biado advance and De Luna hit the road.
The Philippines’ fourth player in the final 32 has turned quite a few heads in the last few days and is definitely worth a mention. Johann Chua, who originally hails from Bacolod City but has resided in Manila for the last ten years, is one of those gems that periodically emerges from the Philippines bustling pool halls. Chua’s aggressive, confident style and dead eyed stroke had even the partisan Chinese fans talking.
To give you an idea of his confidence, Chua, like De Luna, came to China without a spot in the tournament and won a qualifier to earn a place in the main event.
After easily beating Chinese Zeng Zhaodong 9-3 on day 1, Chua tangled with WPA world number 6 Ko Pin Yi of Taiwan. Despite the fact that Ko had much more world class experienc, Chua played and acted to Ko’s equal and, indeed, he took the match to a one rack decider before falling 9-8.
Not to be deterred, Chua then came right back and booked his spot in the final 32 with a resounding 9-1 pounding of the strong Albanian, Nick Malaj.
Afterward Chua revealed that he’s been playing pool for ten years, mostly gambling in Manila’s hard core money-game scene and entering tournaments when he can. In November, 2012 he took 3rd place in the prestigious All Japan Open. What’s great about Chua is that he plays and thinks aggressively, and clearly has the game to back it up.
“I’m an aggressive player because you have to be aggressive here, there are a lot of good players. Pool is my life. I love pool.”
Chua's biggest test to date comes right out of the gates on Saturday. He plays defending champion and fellow Pinoy Orcollo in the round of 32.
Perhaps the strongest looking contingent so far have been the players from Taiwan, who bring seven players into the final 32, all of them extremely capable. It would be surprising not to see a player from Taiwan in the semi-finals.
On the women’s side, the script went nearly to plan as most of the sport’s biggest stars have booked their spot in the final 16. Defending champion Kelly Fisher was down 4-1 to the legend Pan Xiaoting in front of a packed house on the TV table. Fisher, though, caught one of her now famous gears and ran Pan off the table, 7-4.
Pan then went to the losers side and lost to Japan’s Chichiro Kawahara to exit stage left from the building, much to the disappointment of her legions of fanatical fans. Another marquee matchup then took place on the TV table as Hall of Famer Allison Fisher went to the brink with World 10-ball champion Ga Young Kim. Fisher took the match 7 – 6, sending Kim out of the tournament.
Austria’s Jasmin Ouschan looks the goods as she easily advanced to the final 16 with two straight wins.
Both the women’s and men’s single elimination knockout stages begin on Saturday at 1:30pm Shanghai time(GMT +8). The men are playing race to 11 alternate break, while the women are playing race to 9, alternate break.
The women’s final will be played on Sunday with $30,000 going to the winner. The men’s semi-finals and finals will be played on Sunday as well with $40,000 going to the winner. The total prize fund is $301,000.
*The 2013 China Open in Shanghai, China runs from May 12-19 and is sanctioned by the World Pool & Billiard Association(WPA). 64 men and 48 women will compete in separate 9-ball events. The China Open is a WPA ranking event. The main event begins on May 16 and run through May 19.
The WPA will be providing full coverage of the 2013 China Open via its website at www.wpapool.com, and through Facebook at www.facebook.com/WpaChinaOpen. The WPA will be providing live scoring of all matches, daily articles and analysis from WPA Press Officer Ted Lerner, and photographs. Fans can also follow the event through Twitter; @poolwpa.
The 2013 China Open will be streamed online through several Chinese websites. The WPA will be providing the links through our Facebook page as we receive them.
Mens Draw For Saturday(Listed in order)
Chang Pei Wei(TPE) vs Do The Kien(VIE)
Zheng Yu Xuan(TPE) vs. Afrinneza Isral Nasution(IND)
Lee Van Corteza(PHL) vs. Albin Ouschan(AUT)
Ko Pin Yi(TPE) vs. HAN Haoxiang (CHN)
Radislaw Babica(POL) vs. Omar Al Shaheen(KUW)
Karl Boyes(GBR) vs.Salaheldeen Hussein Alrimawi(UAE)
Xu Kailun(TPE) vs. Ralf Souquet(GER)
Zhang Yulong(TPE) vs. Alex Pagulayan(CAN)
Fu Che Wei(TPE) vs. Chris Melling(GBR)
Dennis Orcollo(PHL) vs. Johann Chua(PHL)
Li Hewen(CHN) vs. Niels Feijen(NED)
Ke Bing Zhong(TPE) vs. Chen Tsung Hua(TPE)
Wu Jiaqing(CHN) vs. Thorsten Hohmann(GER)
Nick Ekonomonopoulos(GRE) vs. Darren Appleton(GBR)
Ryu Seungwoo(KOR) vs. Carlo Biado(PHL)
Fu Jianbo(CHN) vs. Chang Jung Lin(TPE)
Women’s Draw For Satuday(Listed in order)
Kelly Fisher(GBR) vs Tsai Pei Chen(TPE)
Lin Yuan Jun(TPE) vs. Lan Hiushan(TPE)
Yu Ram Cha(KOR) vs.Rubelin Amit(PHL)
Chen Siming(CHN) vs. Jasmin Ouschan(AUT)
Fu Xiaofang(CHN) vs Bi Zhuqing(CHN)
Chichiro Kawahara(JPN) vs. Liu Shasha(CHN)
Tan Ho Yun(TPE) vs. Allison Fisher(GBR)
Gao Meng(CHN) vs Chou Chieh Yu(TPE)
Day 2 Men’s, 1st Session Results
Group E
Darren Appleton(GBR) 9 – 8 Wang Can(CHN)
Wu Jiaqing(CHN) 9 – 7 Nick Ekonomonopoulos(GRE)
Jalal Yousef(VEN) 9 – 2 Cristian Tuvi(URU)
Niels Feijen(NED) 9 – 7 Nick Van Den Berg(NED)
Group F
Ko Pin Yi(TPE) 9 – 8 Johann Chua(PHL)
Lee Van Corteza(PHL) 9 – 6. Do The Kien(VIE)
Nick Malai(ALB) 9 – 7 Tursaikhan Amarjargal(MGL)
Chu Bingjie(CHN) 9 – 4 Zeng Zhaodong(CHN)
Group G
Chang Pei Wei(TPE) 9 – 3 Ralf Souquet(GER)
Radoslaw Babica(POL) 9 – 7 Chang Yulong(TPE)
Hunter Lombardo(USA) 9 – 3 Zbynek Vaic(RSA)
Liu Haitao(CHN) 9 – 3 Bashar Hussain(QAT)
Group H
Dennis Orcollo(PHL) 9-7 Albin Ouschan(AUT)
Cheng Tsugn-Hwa(TPE) 9 -7 Daryl Peach(GBR)
Zheng Yu Xuan(TPE) 9 – 3 James Delahunty(AUS)
Huidji See(NED) 9 – 7 Alejandro Carvajal(CHI)
Final Matches in Men’s Losers Bracket
Group A Losers Bracket
Omar Al Shaheen(KUW) 9 -8 Zhu Xihe(CHN)
Han Haoxiang(CHN) 9 – 3 Chu Hung Ming(TPE)
Group B Losers Bracket
Thorsten Hohmann(GER) 9 – 8 Hguyen Anh Tuan(VIE)
Yukio Akagariyama(JPN) 9 -4 Ko Pin Chung(TPE)
Group C Losers Bracket
Fu Jianbo(CHN) 9 – 4 Kenny Kwok(HGK)
Karl Boyes(GBR) 9 – 6 Dang Jinhu(GBR)
Group D Losers Bracket
Carlo Biado(PHL) 9 -8 Jeffrey De Luna(PHL) vs
Chris Melling(GBR) 9 – 7 John Morra(CAN)
Group E Losers Bracket
Nick Ekonomopoulos(GRE) 9 – 8 Jalal Yousef(VEN)
Niels Feijen(NED) 9 – 8 Wang Can(CHN)
Group F Losers Bracket
Do The Kien(VIE) 9 – 3 Chu Bingjie(CHN)
Johann Chua(PHL) 9 – 1 Nick Malai(ALB)
Group G Losers Bracket
Chang Yu Lung(TPE) 9 – 2 Hunter Lombardo(USA)
Ralf Souquet(GER) 9 – 8 Liu Haitao(CHN)
Group H Losers Bracket
Zheng Yu Xuan(TPE) 9 – 7 Daryl Peach(GBR)
Albin Ouschan(AUT) 9 – 6 Huidji See(NED)