VICTOR
CHANDLER WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
Cardiff International Arena / Day 8 - Saturday July 8th
Quarter Final Results - Comment & Quotes
Corey Deuel (USA) bt Steve Davis (Eng) 11 - 7
DAVIS OUT, DEUEL IN!
Steve Davis, who has given so much value for money here this week at
the Victor Chandler World Pool Championship, today met his nemesis this
evening at the Cardiff International Arena as he went out the tournament
to one of pool's rising stars Corey Deuel (USA) 11 - 7.
The Quarter Final match was much anticipated by a packed arena and Davis
came out firing. Deuel appeared to be extremely nervous at the outset
and some elementary errors set Romford Slim up for a 4 - 0 lead.
Davis, who performed his now-familiar caged animal routine between
racks, looked composed and in control as he cashed in on Deuel's
mistakes. As the match progressed, though, the 22 year-old from
Columbus, Ohio found his feet and began to give the Nugget a run for his
money.
At five racks apiece and Corey coming on strong, Davis had to fight hard
to stay with him. They stayed together at 7 - 7 and then the Prince of
Pool took over, running the next four racks to take the match and a
semi-final show down with Fong Pang Chao, the dead eyed shooter from
Chinese Taipei.
Understandably young Mr Deuel was delighted at the finish; " I was
so nervous at the beginning as I had never played anyone of Steve's
calibre from the world of snooker. I expected him to play perfect and at
the start I didn't think that I had a chance to win.
" I've watched Steve all week and he's had a brilliant run but I'm
glad that run's ended here. I lost on the TV table to Rob McKenna in the
group stages but I played horrible then and didn't prepare well at all.
" Today, though, I didn't over practice or wear myself out
mentally. After the nervous start I took something from the fact that
Pagulayan, Kucharo and Wiseman were in there cheering for me. It was
good to see a few American flags flying as well.
" Chao seems to be the best player I've seen in the tournament so
tomorrow I've got to try and keep control. I'm not bothered by some of
the jumping jack stuff he's been doing this week. He can do that to me
because, I tell you, I won't care. " I've always dreamed of being
World Champion since I was a kid so I'll be playing as hard as I
can."
For Steve Davis the dream is over but his enthusiasm for 9-ball is
undiminished; " The experience and thrill of competing here has
been priceless. In a way, it's been a walk into wonderland.
" I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bitterly disappointed at losing,
although I'm proud of my achievements here this week. I think the last
seven days have changed my perception of myself as a pool player.
" Technically, I've got lots to learn. There are positional shots
that the Americans and Asians don't have to think twice about that I'm
struggling with. It's tough looking three shots ahead, but my breaking
improved throughout the week and that was a big plus point.
" All this leaves me with the dilemma of how much time I now devote
to 9-ball. Practising with Steve Knight would be an option as well as
travelling abroad to play in competition. I think I could hold my head
high overseas as a pool player.
" This is a mentally stimulating sport for me, more so than snooker
in many ways. It suits my mind more.
" My abiding memory this week though was my match with Efren. Those
sort of comebacks are one in a million. He could have lead 8 - 2 and won
999 times out of 1000 but that was the 1000th time. What a
week!"
Fong Pang Chao (Tai) bt Johl Younger 11 -1
Fong Pang Chao of Chinese Taipei, a semi-finalist in '99, became the first
player through to the semi finals of the Victor Chandler World Pool
Championship here at the Cardiff International Arena as he defeated
surprise package Johl Younger of Australia 11 - 1.
The match was marred though by a controversial incident towards the end
when Chao clearly answered a call on his mobile phone much to the disgust
of Younger and the crowd. The conversation seemed to be brief but it was
the second incident involving Chao in as many days. Yesterday, he was
accused of 'sharking' German player Oliver Ortmann by deliberately moving
his head in Ortmann's eyeline just as the German was about to shoot.
Speaking after the match Chao offered the following statement, "
Somebody called me on the phone but there was no answer. As for yesterday,
my head movement was unintentional although I did move it. That is no
excuse for a top player to miss an easy shot though."
Chao will now have to answer to the World Pool Association, the game's
governing body, who are in attendance in Cardiff. They will meet in an
emergency session later today to decide what, if any action will be taken
prior to Chao's semi-final match on Sunday afternoon.
Chao, known as the 'Cold Faced Killer' in world pool circles is certainly
one of the class acts here in Cardiff. He first came to prominence in 1993
when he won the World Title and throughout the 90's and the 32 year-old
from Kaohsiung City is certainly at least second favourite for the
Championship.
The match itself turned out to be a cruise for Chao as he kept the young
Australian in his chair for long periods. One moment of controversy
occurred towards the end of the game as Chao appeared to take a call on a
mobile phone, hidden in the pocket of his cue case.
For the 22 year-old Younger, it was a disappointing finish to what has
been a fantastic week. An unknown at the outset of the tournament, he has
now created a name for himself in world pool.
Commented Johl, " The ball I missed in the first rack basically told
the whole tale of the match. He played well, keeping me in my chair, so
everytime I got to the table I was cold. That incident with the telephone
was very rude, outrageous even but that's what you get sometimes,"
perhaps alluding to Thursday's incident.
Johl continued, " I'm happy with my showing this week. I think I
pleasantly surprised myself as I don't play a lot of 9-Ball but I think
the time has come for me to give it a proper shot so I will be looking to
play in the USA and Asia.
" Snooker is my No.1 game and I stayed in Scotland in 1999, playing
with John Higgins and I reached 150 or so in the world rankings. I guess
my highlight of the Championship was beating Dominic Dale live on
TV."
Earl Strickland (USA) bt Rodolfo Luat (Phi) 11 - 9
After a terrific nip and tuck battle, Earl 'the Pearl' Strickland of
Greensboro, North Carolina, advanced to the semi-finals of the Victor
Chandler World Pool Championship at the expense of Filipino star Rodolfo
Luat.
The score-line of 11 - 9 barely tells the story of a match that swung one
way then another. Luck and mistakes played a part but Strickland, who at
11-4 was a pre-match favourite for the tournament, turned on the heat in
the final racks and aided by a fortunate 9-ball off the break to go 10 - 8
up, kept his nerve to win.
Luat, the only player left from the very strong 5-man party from the
Philippines, started out well going 3 -0 up. Strickland nicked racks back
and in the tenth levelled it at 5 - 5. Then Earl went 6 - 5 ahead and
never fell behind again.
Strickland, 39, has had a topsy-turvy career including winning $1.000.000
after running 11 consecutive racks ( pool's equivalent of snooker's 147 )
in 1996. He was also banned for a period last year after leaving the
arena during a major final and never coming back! However, temperament
aside the Pearl is considered by his peers to be one of the all-time
greats.
The Pearl has a strange relationship with the crowd here in Cardiff,
constantly berating them as the match progresses, waving his cue at anyone
he thinks is against him. Still, there are many who believe that this is
Strickland's year and he will be facing Ismael Paez of Mexico who will
start tomorrow's semi-final match as a big underdog.
Strickland was full of praise for his opponent, who had the hopes of a
nation riding on his shoulders: " Make no mistake I had the toughest
match of the day. If anyone thinks there was a tougher player out there,
they must be crazy!
" Luat is a crafty player and he breaks better than me, but the
racking was changed from the earlier matches so the wing ball didn't keep
going in like it did for Chao this afternoon. You need different breaks
like that. We both made mistakes but he made more than me.
" I can't believe that Paez is still in the Championship. He's a
player that makes mistakes too and if he does that against me I just might
bury him!"
Ismael Paez (Mex) bt Peter Nielsen (Den) 11 - 9
No Flies on Ismael!
Live-wire Mexican veteran Ismael Paez wowed the crowds at the Cardiff
International Arena this afternoon as he advanced into the semi-finals of
the Victor Chandler World Pool Championship with a nerve-jangling display
against Dane Peter Nielsen.
Paez ran out an 11 - 9 winner in a very tense match and will meet the
winner of the Strickland / Luat clash tonight. Nielsen held his own
throughout the match but at 10 - 8 down and breaking, he managed to send
the cue ball sailing off the table and out of the arena.
With ball in hand Ismael dished up and held on to run out in the 20th and
final rack. Paez, who appears to be a hyper-energetic bundle of nerves,
had the sell-out CIA crowd on his side as he danced around the table at
breakneck speed.
Paez, residing in Los Angeles but initially from Mazatlan, Mexico, seemed
to be working on the basis that jumping up and down and waving his stick
would greatly increase his chances of the ball going in the pocket.
Ismael's concentration was such that when huge fly landed on his nose
mid-shot, he paid no attention, much to the merriment of the crowd.
Commenting afterwards Paez was modest in his achievements, " I didn't
know what time I was playing and then Ernesto Dominguez told me I was on
in five minutes. I had no practice, no dinner, no nothing and though I won
I didn't play good.
" That fly landed on my nose and I looked at him, he looked at me
then I played the shot. If I played another 50 tournaments, that could
never happen again!
" I believe I can win this Championship because you know, everytime I
play in a foreign country for the first time, I win! I won the Japanese
Open in 1989 from a field of over 200 players, and in 1998 I won in Spain
on the Eurotour on my first visit, so maybe the same thing can happen in
Wales.
" I've got a lot of fans out there now. The people here really enjoy
and understand the sport and I like to entertain them, that is my
business. I don't care who I play in the semi-final because what is
important is how I play.
" I'm guaranteed $15.000 which is good . I need to pay off my credit
card! "
For Peter Nielsen, it was a big disappointment after brilliant wins over
American players Jeremy Jones and Allen Hopkins: " It was a good game
and I felt good in there but I needed some rolls which didn't come. There
were two breaks where I scratched on one and went off the table on the
other.
" Sure I feel bad but Ismael is funny to watch and I wish him well.
Hopefully I can look forward to playing in the Mosconi Cup in
December."
send by luke.riches |
