World 9-Ball Pool Championship 2010
Qatar Billiards & Snooker Federation
Al Muntazah Street, Doha, Qatar
29 June - 05 July 2010
Championship Reports
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World 9Ball Field Whittled to 32!
Credit: Jerry Forsyth
Normally the round
of 64 is when the cream begins to rise to the top. But there are so many
excellent players in Doha this week that some of that cream is being
pushed aside and left on the floor. It is a case of immovable objects
meeting irresistible forces. Something has to give.
As an example you
certainly expect Efren Reyes to be around for the next round. And you
expect the same of Johnny Archer. But those two met on the baize today
and one of them had to be eliminated. That would be Reyes. Archer won
their battle 11-10 and Reyes is left to seek a chessboard or a nice meal
to console himself.
Likewise, Charlie
Williams fell 11-9 to Scott Higgins and Oliver Ortmann was handled
roughly by Francisco Bustamante 11-2. Ko Pin Yi is apparently deciding
to live up to his potential as the former junior superstar simply glided
past Ernesto Dominguez 11-3. Lee Van Cortezza had the misfortune of
running headlong into Tony Drago and Drago wasted no time in sending him
home 11-7.
Perhaps the
greatest surprise of the day is that the two players considered by most
pundits to be the best in the world, Ralf Souquet and Mika Immonen, both
got handed their walking papers today. Souquet fought the good fight
but still succumbed 11-9 to Vinancio Tanio. Lee Chenman, however,
smothered Immonen 11-3 in a match that must have left the iceman in
shock and awe.
Dennis Orcullo, who
just won the World Pool Masters a few short weeks ago, is licking the
wounds that Bruno Muratore inflicted with an 11-7 victory that leaves
Muratore now to face Johnny Archer.
The action today
reduced the field from 64 men down to 32. At the end of tomorrow there
will only the sweet sixteen. And every one of those men will know that a
World Title is within grasp. For some the arm will grow clumsy. For
others the spirit will rise within and they will leap to the challenge
and fight for the honor. There is a champion among the names left aboard
the bracket. Pick your favorite and see if the golden ring lands upon
his finger.
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