2007 PARTYCASINO.NET World Cup of Pool victors Team China, made up of Jianbo Fu and Hewen Li, are over the first hurdle as they beat the all-girl Team Korea 8-5 to advance to the second round.
The Koreans, made up of the elegantly glamourous pair of Ga Young Kim and Yun Mi Lim, gave them a good game of it, much to the enjoyment of the sizeable crowd at the SM North Mall Annex in Manila.
The first all-female side in the four year history of the competition, Korea went into an early 2-0 lead as they looked composed against the Chinese pair. They had a great chance to move 3-0 ahead but Yun missed the 8 ball and the Chinese were back in the match.
That was the first of six consecutive racks for China, and at 6-2 down, Korea had it all to do.
They took the next and an excellent shot down the rail on the next took it to 4-6 but Ga's next break saw the cue ball hit the carpet to derail their hopes.
There were some tense exchanges in the closing stages but China held on to run out winners and take their place in round two.
TEAM FRANCE, consisting of Stephan Cohen and Vincent Facquet, recorded the first win at the 2009 PartyCasino.net World Cup of Pool, as they brushed aside the challenge of Canada for a comfortable 8-1 victory.
A combination of solid play from the French and some mistakes from the Canadian duo of Tyler Edey and Jason Klatt saw France open up a 6-0 lead in the race to 8, winner breaks match.
A dry break in the seventh game gave Canada the opportunity to stop a whitewash and Edey duly dropped the 9 ball to save face but that was it as France took the required two racks to run out easy winners.
"We had a bit of luck but we also played well and had some good shots. When you're down 6-1, as Canada were, it is very difficult and the pressure can get to you, that's what happened when they missed the 9-ball but that's the way it goes," said Vincent Facquet after the match.
