Sara Rocha (POR)
Portoroz, Slovenia: In a match with several severe mistakes, Sara Rocha (POR) carried the day with 6:4 over Kateryna Polovinchuk (UKR).
Statistics of the match indicate that it was a close encounter with slight advantages for Rocha. Both players missed 6 shots during the match and ranout two racks. But whenever safety play was asked for, Rocha seemed to come up with the better shots than Polovinchuk. Rack four provided the first dramatic situation. Rocha broke the rack, had balls down and cleared the table but left the 8-ball on the table. What a gift for Polovinchuk. At that time Polovinchuk was leading 2:1. But instead of getting a small advantage over Rocha, Polovinchuk also cleared her group of balls and left the 8-ball on the table. Rocha could not believe her luck and made the 8-ball to tie the match at 2:2. In the next rack, Polovinchuk played better but scratched while pocketing the 8-ball. That was probably the beginning of the end for the young Ukrainian competitor. Rocha made another rack before Polovinchuk went for her time-out. Would she get back on track again? Rocha made it hard for her since she ran the balls in the seventh rack in order to get on the hill with 5:2. Suddenly, while everyone believed that this was the end for Polovinchuk, she tried hard to turn the tide and put some pressure on Rocha. That had an immediate effect on her. Polovinchuk ran out in the eighth rack and Rocha dogged the 8-ball in the ninth. That turned the scoreboard to 5:4 for Rocha with the tenth rack coming up, Rocha to break. After missing the 8-ball in the rack before she probably had enough anger inside her to get all her nerves together and ran another rack to win with 6:4. Since it was the loser's qualification round in 8-ball in the women's division, Polovinchuk will have to settle for 33rd while Rocha will advance to the single elimination stage.
Other notable results include Martin Martinovic (SRB) surprisingly eliminating Andreas Roschkowsky (GER) from the 8-ball competition with 8:5. Also a surprise was Jakub Koniar (SVK) ousting Nick Malai (ALB) with 8:5.
In the loser's qualification round of the women's division, Ina Kaplan (GER) prevailed in an all-German clash with 6:3 over Christine Wiechert (GER).
In the wheelchair division, Fred Dinsmore (IRL) left no chance to Emil Schranz (AUT) and handed him a 5:2 defeat. In a rematch of Saturday's 10-ball final, Roy Kimberley (GBR) took revenge on Kurt Deklerck (BEL) and snatched the victory with 5:4 off the Belgian.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.epconline.eu or contact our press office.
