Krystle Suarez, Elise Zelanko, April Gonzales and Tara Williams
Texas-based veteran, Tara Williams, always something of an “Uh, oh, she could win this” threat at any event in which she competes, chalked up her first 2023 victory at Stop #2 on the DFW 9-Ball Ladies Tour on Saturday, March 18). Winner of two 2022 stops on the tour, Williams came from the loss side to down Krystle Suarez in the finals; a single match in what would normally have been a double-elimination, two-set final, but by mutual agreement was reduced to a single, deciding set. The $500-added event drew 28 entrants to Tailgaters (formerly, Snookered) in Frisco, TX.
Williams only faced Suarez once, in the finals, but faced Elise Zelanko twice, in a winners’ side semifinal and the event semifinal. Williams had faced a series of lower-handicapped opponents, who kept chalking up more racks against her as she advanced, from Alyson Gonzalez (1), through Linda Long (2), and tour director Monica Anderson (3), at which point she turned to face Zelanko for the first time. Suarez’ undefeated trip to the hot seat went through Marilina Nieves (2), Tina Soto (1) and Ginger Abadilla (2) to arrive at her winners’ side semifinal against April Gonzalez.
Suarez advanced to the hot seat match with a 7-2 win over Gonzalez, as Zelanko defeated Williams 3-4 (Williams racing to 7) to join her. The one sure-fire, never-fail way to defeat any opponent with a lower, even, or higher handicap is to reduce their TAT (time at table) and prevent them from chalking up any racks against you at all. Suarez claimed the hot seat 7-0.
On the loss side, Williams ran into Julie Collins, who’d lost a winners’ side quarterfinal to Gonzalez and defeated Marilina Nieves 4-2 and Deliza Baumbach 4-1 to reach her. Gonzalez came over and picked up Nancy Rios, who’d lost her opening match to Linda Long in a double hill battle and run up a string of three 4-2 wins (Chris Fields, Shawna Havlen, Jessica Demello) and a single 4-3 win against Tina Soto (Soto racing to 5) to reach Gonzalez.
Williams got by Collins 7-2 and was joined in the quarterfinal match by Gonzales, who’d stopped Rios’ loss-side run at four with a 5-2 win. Williams stopped Gonzales’ single-match, loss-side trip with a 7-2 win in those quarterfinals.
Williams downed Zelanko in the same way that Suarez had sent her to the loss side, with a shutout. Williams and Suarez opted for the single-set final and in a straight-up race to 5, Williams won it 5-3 to claim the event title.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Tailgaters for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Fort Worth Billiards Superstore, Eric and Becky Smith Promotions, and Rasson Billiards. The next stop on the DFW 9-Ball Ladies Tour, scheduled for Saturday, May 13, will be hosted by Bearded Monkey in Forney, TX.
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