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| This interview with Vivian Villarreal took place on December 29th 1999. | |||
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Vivian: If you are a good player, and can pocket balls well and play well its very easy to get ranked #1 like I did. Jeanette did and Allison did. The very first year, you get all your points added on. If you know how to play a decent game, its very easy to get up there. Now, she's going to have to perform to stay there. AZB: You are a very animated player. You seem to really get the crowd going and then feed off of that to play even better. Have you always been like this? Vivian: I'm always like that off the table and on the table. And the way I see things, when I'm in a tournament, I'd rather have a good time. Go out there and have a good time and please the crowd. I get so many emails from all these people saying they enjoy my game, and that I'm very spirited, and things like that. The way I concentrate is totally different from the others, but you know, I don't like to be like other people. My game has always been like that, I just always have fun. If I wind up losing, well, you know, gotta go back and practice and start over again. There's always another tournament. AZB: Most of the female players play a very methodical controlled game, but your game would be better described as 'fast & loose'. Your game is similar to a gamblers game. Did you do a lot of gambling in the past? Vivian: I didn't gamble. I played with a lot of great players from all over. I played sets for like $20, $50. And even though I knew I was going to lose, I knew that was going to increase my game. And thats what I did. I have no fear. If its a tremendously hard shot, and I know I can get position, I'm going for it. I'd rather not duck, I'd rather just go for it. AZB: You were voted the 38th best player of the century in the Billiards Digest fans poll. How does this make you feel? Vivian: Anything that I can achieve, especially being Latina, is always an honor. It's nice to be voted for when people enjoy your game. And thats what I like to do. I like to have fun. AZB: Tell me your thoughts on the new management firm that the WPBA has hired. Vivian: I think its a great move. I think Steve was over-loaded. I don't think he could have done it by himself. I think the women - we've all put in our time to do interviews, etc. We carry ourselves well. We've always stuck together. I think we have elegance and class. I think its going to work. Next year will be big.
AZB:
We received a couple questions for you from users on our site. The first is... Vivian: Actually, I look at both. I guess I can only answer that by saying that I look at both. But more-so, I guess I look at the percentage shot. AZB: 2. "Which one of the two improves your consistency, or is it both?". Vivian: I think its both of them. AZB: Another user sent in these questions. How often and where do you practice? Vivian: Well, I practice about 4 hours a day, Monday through Saturday. I go to Clicks or Fast Eddie's. (In San Antonio, of course) AZB: When you practice, do you shoot drills or try to run racks? Vivian: I shoot drills. I play a lot of straight pool, I run racks. I try to remember my faults from the previous tournament. If I was having a hard shot in the tournament, and if I remmeber I missed the shot a few times, I go home and practice it. I play the ghost a lot, too. (Editors Note: "Playing the ghost" refers to breaking a rack and then taking ball in hand and attempting to run out.) |
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