Joey Testa, after a long time away from the tables, returned to the Mezz Pro-Am Tour on Sunday, July 19, winning all but one match, including a single, sudden-death game, to snatch a potential victory away from Matt Krah, winner of the tour's first 2015 stop, back in February. The event drew 17 entrants to Main Line Billiards in Drexeline, PA.
Testa, who, in 2010, chalked up three wins on the Mezz Tour, and placed among the top 10 in eight events that year, hasn't been 'seen' (results not recorded) since he finished fourth on the tour, back in March, 2012. He returned with a vengeance, so to speak, advancing to a winners' side semifinal against Dan McGinnis, while Krah was squaring off against Michael Wong. Testa shut McGinnis and in the battle for the hot seat faced Wong, 7-5 winner over Krah. Testa claimed the hot seat 7-2.
Krah moved over and ran into Bobby Hontz, who'd defeated Colleen Shoop 7-3 and Dave Connelly, 7-5. McGinnis picked up the player known as Lupe, who'd eliminated Jake Lebon 7-1 and Bob Mapes 7-2. Krah got by Hontz 7-3, as McGinnis downed Lupe 7-5.
Krah took the quarterfinal match against McGinnis 7-2 and got his shot at Testa with a 7-4 victory over Wong in the semifinals. In the modified, double elimination finals, Krah took the opening set 7-5, initiating the 'sudden death,' single-game format the tour has recently adopted. Testa won the single game and claimed his first Mezz Tour title since the three he recorded five years ago.
