Four Countries Contest a Single Crown

Manila, Philippines-  2011 will be the year where people remember no one has a stranglehold on the World 10-Ball Championship. All that remains now are one player each from the four countries of England, Korea, Taiwan, and China. Kelly Fisher, Ga Young Kim, Pei Chen Tsai, Yu Han. None of the players remaining have ever been a World Champion save for Korea's Ga Young Kim in 9-Ball, but even she has been eluded twice the chance to become the World 10-Ball Champion. Today at the Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship, it will be decided the new face of 10-Ball in women's pool in the sport's hardest game and tournament to win.  It all takes place today at 2pm inside  Robinson's Galleria .
 
Full brackets and results at www.womensworld10ball.com

The pride of England Kelly Fisher, who was the #1 seed into the final stage of the event, continued her undefeated run thus far towards the Championship win. She easily dismantled Japan's legendary Akimi Kajitani 8-2 in the live televised match. She then defeated H.S.Lai of Taiwan 8-5 in the quarter-finals and will today face China's Yu Han in the first semi-finals.

"My goal has always been to be the World Champion of pool", stated Fisher.

"Out of all the matches and players I've seen this week, Kelly Fisher has definitely put on the best performances and been the most consistent", said Bob Guerroro, TV analyst and commentator for the event.

Pei Chen Tsai of Taiwan played the villain last night in a huge match against home country favorite Rubilen Amit. She had earlier defeated China's Dou Dou Zhou 8-6. The match see-sawed back and forth with Amit taking the early lead at 2-0, but watching that falter as Tsai won the next 4 games. At the end, Tsai was up 7-6 needing one game to close out the match but faltered on a unexpected miss on the 9-ball. Amit made a beautiful bank shot to set-up an easy 10-Ball , with the crowd roaring behind her. The final rack would decide the match, and Amit could be seen closing her eyes and giving a holy sign to God before her break shot. She rammed the break but lost control of the cueball and it nearly flew off the table. Tsai had a chance now to runout the rack, but she put herself into trouble again forcing herself to make tough shots. After a tricky combination shot, she cut an easy 5ball into the pocket only to see it stop in the pocket. The crowd gasped. A second later, as if by fate, the ball dropped. She continued her run and on the final 10-Ball, which seemed completely routine, again she wobbled the 10-ball and it seemed to ponder on going in as it hit both sides of the pocket three times before dropping. Tsai collapsed to the ground with a smiling Amit hugging her.

"I knew it was going to be really hard to face the Philippines #1 tonight. When the 5-Ball and 10-Ball both stopped, my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest", said Tsai. She had won a qualifier the day before the main event started, and has made full use of the spot she earned to get to the semi-finals.

"I did my best and I had a good tournament. I really want to thank all the people who have supported me", said Amit.

Fairly unknown Yu Han was the surprise sole Chinese left in the event. She will carry the hopes of heavily favored China especially with the big guns out of the way including names like World #1 Siming Chen, 2009 World 9-Ball Champ Sha Sha Liu, and 2010 World 9-Ball Champion Xiaofang Fu. Han defeated a tightly contested 8-6 match with Canada's #1 Brittany Bryant. She then eliminated fellow teammates Xiue Chen 8-6, and also reigning World 9-Ball Champion Zi Qing Bi 8-6. Yu Han, a winner of the All Japan Championship, will be slight underdog in her semi-finals against Fisher today.

Last but not least by far, is Korea's powerful Ga Young Kim. Considered by many as the best all around woman's player, Kim has taken only one loss in the entire event, which ironically came at the hands of her semi-finals opponent today. Kim defeated fellow Korean Eunji Park 8-3, and then easily controlled #2 seed Norway's Line Kjorsvik 8-4. In what would seem to be a good match-up, Kim completely annihilated one of China's top bets Sha Sha Liu in a 8-1 blowout.

"She has the kind of game where players can really fear her. She can do that to you", said Allison Fisher as she watched from afar. Fisher herself was upsetted by Taiwan's Lai 8-5 in an earlier match.

Kim, though playing against worthy opponents,  was not even close to being tested in her three matches yesterday. Perhaps she seems on a mission to redeem herself from last year's World Championship finals where she saw a 4-0 lead disappear into the hands of Austria's Jasmin Oushcan.  She will also have to avenge her 6-1 loss in the group stage of this year's event against Tsai, whom she will face in today's semi-finals.

Play continues today with live coverage on Balls and Studio 23 of ABS-CBN.

The Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship is additionally sponsored by ABS-CBN Sports, Robinson's Galleria, Predator Cues, Pool & Billiard Magazine, Top147.com, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Balls, Magic 89.9, and Crown Plaza Galleria Ortigas. The event will be airing on ABS-CBN and internationally on ESPN Star Sports. The event will be broadcasted live for all five days of the main event with 25 hours of broadcast television coverage.  Stories, complete info and updates will be on www.WomensWorld10Ball.com .
 
With these global network and media partners the Yalin Women's World 10-Ball Championship is still the biggest and most watched women's billiard event in the world.