|
At the 3rd edition of the
Big Apple 9-Ball Challenge, tournament promoter Jose Burgos could welcome 67
players. If the quantity of players did not match the expectations, the
quality of the field could easily compete with many other great events. In
the Master Billiards in the district Queens, the players had good conditions
for performing great sport.
After a walk-through, I played my first match
against Michael Ling (USA), and I won 10-3 without trembling. In the second
match, I played Dutchman Bart Houben, whom I know well. He had travelled to
the USA to watch the Challenge of Champions and participated here in his
first major professional tournament outside Europe. After two wins in the
previous rounds, I upset him 10-2 and did not stand the slightest chance,
which had been different a few weeks ago in Sindelfingen. In the third round
of the winner bracket, the first big shot was waiting for me - Jose Parica (PHI).
Due to the alternating break, none of the two could take a real advantage.
But I was leading from the beginning and increased the lead slowly to 6-3
and 9-6. If I could not make use of the first match ball, I scored the
second one and won 10-8. In the round of the last 8 winners, I was surprised
to face Alan Rolon from Puerto Rico. He had participated in the Challenge of
Champions and in the previous rounds, he had defeated first George „Ginky“
San Souci and then Danny Harriman (both USA) with clear scores. In this
match, Rolon took a rapid 2-0 lead and had the chance to increase to 3-0.
But he lost the cue ball and allowed me to come into the match. At 4-3, I
took the lead for the first time in this match. After this, I played like in
the previous matches and by winning 10-5, I entered the next round against
Danny Basavich (USA). The match was a bit dense and developed into a real
battle. I was trailing 4-5, when the tournament organizers imposed us a shot
clock. This was the reason why I came better into the match and the rhythm
of Basavich seemed to be broken. I could win 11-7 and had entered the final
of the winner bracket.
|
|
Jose Parica
- Ralf
|
My opponent was country
fellowman and room-mate Thomas Engert, who had lost a few days ago
the final of the Challenge of Champions against Fong-Pang Chao from
Taiwan. I took a rapid 2-0 lead and missed the opportunity to
increase to 3-0 by missing a massé shot. From now on, the match
went back and forth and I was constantly trailing by one rack. At
7-8 I should have equalled the score, but I missed a very easy 7
ball. Engert increased his lead to 9-7 and I came back to 8-9 upon
my own break. But Engert ran out the next table from the break and
for the second time within just 3 days, he had entered the final of
a major tournament. In the final of the losers bracket, I played the
second Dutchman in the field. Niels Feijen had also participated in
the Challenge of Champions and had missed a match ball in his
semi-final against the later champion Chao. I had a head start and
was leading 5-1 and had the match fully under control. Then Feijen
started a discussion about the quality of the racking-up because I
had shot two aces in the early racks. After lenthy discussions, I
had lost my pace and the match continued. He turned the 1-5 into a
7-5, since I had missed two good opportunities and after three
consecutive black breaks. Then I caught up and took the lead again
at 9-8. Upon my break, 3 balls were potted and all other balls were
nicely positioned. Only the 1 ball was positioned in front of the
middle pocket in a way that I had to cut it very thinly (app. 85°).
I hit it well, but not strong enough, so that the 1 remained in the
pocket on the table. Feijen made use of this opportunity and won the
two remaining racks to win 10-9. After two stupidly lost matches, I
had to satisfy myself with rank 3.
|
Ralf - Thomas Engert
|
In the final in a
race to 13, Engert started furiously and with his perfect game, he
was leading 6-0. When he could increase to 7-0, he missed a great
opportunity and brought Feijen back into the match. After 6-3,
Engert developed the score to 8-3 and at 8-4, he missed another easy
8 ball. Instead of 9-4, Feijen came closer and closer and came back
to 8-9. But Engert won the next two racks and had everything in hand
to win. But his break was sterile now and the Dutchman, who had won
not less than 4 matches on the tightest of all scores 10-9 (vs.
Bustamante, Reyes, Parica, Souquet), started his final sprint.
Feijen won 13-11 and could celebrate as the Comeback Kid. A nice
result from a European standpoint, especially since the fourth
player Tony Crosby has his roots in England, even if he lives in
Florida.
|
Niels Feijen
|
