Kristina Tkach
It had been close to a year since Russia’s Kristina Tkach had chalked up any recorded wins or even cash payouts, but it didn’t appear to have had a serious affect on her game. At a $1,500-added Ladies Open 9-Ball event, one of four events at the Michael Montgomery Memorial Tournament, Tkach was on the loss side early, won seven in a row and then double dipped Tara Williams to claim the event title. The $1,500-added Ladies event drew 32 entrants to Snookered in Frisco, TX. Separate stories will detail the results of the memorial tournament’s other three events, which began on Wednesday, January 27 and was scheduled to finish on Sunday night, January 31; a $5,000-added One Pocket event (12 entrants), a $2,000-added 10-ball Mini Tournament (16 entrants), both won by Dennis Orcollo, and a $7,500-added 9-Ball Tournament, which was still on-going as this report was being prepared.
Tkach’s trip to the winners’ circle began promisingly enough with a 7-2 win over Tina Soto, before she ran into Alicia Stanley and the only double hill match she’d play. Stanley advanced, Tkach went west to begin a seven-match, loss-side trek to the finals that she finished with an aggregate score of 42-7, an 86% winning percentage with her back to pool’s wall.
Stanley lasted one more round on the winners’ side before being defeated 7-2 by Ming Ng, who moved on to face Tara Williams in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Williams had gotten by Melissa Smith and Monica Anderson, both 7-3, and Ricki Casper 7-5 to reach the winners’ side semifinal. Courtney Peters, in the meantime, having survived an opening round double hill battle versus Amy Jones, went on to defeat Christina Schneider 7-4 and Calaia Samar 7-2 to draw Tam Trinh in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Tara Williams dispatched Ming Ng 7-3 and advanced to the hot seat match. She was joined by Peters, who’d won a double hill match over Trinh. Williams gave up just a single rack in claiming the hot seat and waiting in it on the return of Tkach.
It was Ming Ng who drew Tkach, four matches and only four racks for opponents into her loss-side streak. Tkach had defeated Amy Jones (1), Erica Hanlon (2), Robyn Petrosino (0) and Monica Anderson (1) to draw Ng. Trinh drew Krystal Suarez, who’d recently downed Ricki Casper 6-4 and survived a double hill fight against Alicia Stanley.
Tkach and Suarez made Ng and Trinh’s loss-side trips short. Suarez eliminated Trinh 6-2, as Tkach was busy defeating Ng 6-1. Tkach then finished Suarez’ six-match, loss-side trip with a shutout.
Tkach then gave up two racks to Peters in the semifinals and turned to face Williams in the hot seat, waiting. She took the opening set of the true double elimination final 7-5 and followed with a 6-4 win that allowed her to claim the event title.
Tournament representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Snookered Billiards and Bar for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Omega, Predator, Simonis, ACME, Doc’s Billiards Office, LBS Championship Pool, Staggs Plumbing, Clutch Shot Billiards Apparel, John Eagle Honda of Dallas, Molina Mike, Dunski Dungeon, 1st Choice Appliance Repair, D Real Pool Promotions, Outsville, Hanshew Jump Cues, PDQ, Rackem Live Stream, Diamond, Off the Rail and OB Cues.
