Michael Corona came back from a defeat at the hands of Alison Fischer to win all five of his matches on the loss side and two more against hot seat occupant Henri Hernandez to claim the Tri-State Tour event title. The $720-added, B/C/D event drew 39 entrants to Amsterdam Billiards and Bar in Manhattan on the weekend of August 29-30.
After defeating Corona, double hill, in a winners' side quarterfinal, Fischer, who'd been off the tour recently due to a hand injury, and had guaranteed herself at least a share of the 5/6 money ($120), moved into a winners' side semifinal against Jiri Marsalo. She was the only "C" player among three "B"s in those semifinals. Henri Hernandez, in the meantime, squared off against Kirill Safronov. Marsalo sent Fischer to the loss side 8-3, and in the hot seat match, faced Hernandez, who'd sent Safronov over 7-3. Hernandez claimed the hot seat 7-5.
On the loss side, Corona opened up his five-match winning streak with a 7-3 win over teenager Thomas Rice, and then, double hill, eliminated Tri-State vet Tony Ignomirello. He drew Safronov. Fischer picked up Kapriel Delimelkonoglu, who'd gotten by Dmitry Rozenfeld 7-3 and Martin Carducci 7-5.
Corona downed Safronov 7-2, as Fischer defeated Delimelkonoglu 8-7; Delimelkonoglu scratching on the 9-ball at double hill. Fischer's return to the Tri-State tables came to an end at the hands of Corona in the re-match quarterfinals 8-4. Corona went on to defeat Marsalo, double hill, in the semifinals.
Corona took the opening set of the two-day event's double elimination final 7-4. Hernandez got a game closer in the second set, but Corona completed his first Tri-State win 7-5.
