16 YEAR OLD COULD UNITE 8 & 9 BALL CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHIES
There is now a real possibility that Wu Chia Ching, the sensational 16 year old from Chinese Taipei could do the unimaginable and win both the World 9 Ball Championship AND the World 8 Ball Championship in the same year.
Wu looked calm and played at a good pace throughout his Semi-Final match with Dutchman Niels Feijen, which he won by a landslide 10-5 score. Feijen looked under pressure as he tried his hardest to make a come back but Wu was just too good.
Wu's Quarter-Final match with Daryl Peach was a much closer affair, it looked certain at one point that was was dead, as Peach was "on the hill" with a commanding score, 9-5 up before Wu's incredible comeback 10-9 win. Peach played exceptionally well but never really had the opportunity to finish the match as Wu controlled the table so well in the closing racks.
Dutchman, Nick van den Berg's route to the final pitched him against Saudi Arabia's Naif Aljaweni in the Quarter-Final. After a slow start the pace picked up and Van den Berg accelerated away to a stong 10-4 victory.
Van den Berg's Semi-Final match was with the audience's favourite from the Philippines, Francisco Bustamante, but Bustamante was utilising a new soft break style and wasn't making balls on the break. Van den Berg however was having excellent results with a huge powerbreak and this certainly helped win him the match 10-8, along with some solid potting.
QUARTER-FINAL 1: Wu Chia Ching 10:9 DARYL PEACH
Despite taking a commanding lead against the Taiwanese youngster, (Peach was 9-5 up in the race to ten) there was no stopping Wu's comeback, as he won rack after rack never leaving his opponent a real opportunity to get back into the game.
QUARTER-FINAL 2: NIELS FEIJEN 10:7 MIKA IMMONEN
Niels Feijen punched the air and let out a victory yell after he sank the final 8 ball that sent him into the Semi-Finals.
QUARTER-FINAL 3: NICK VAN DEN BERG 10:4 NAIF ALJAWENI
Saudi Arabia's newest hero, Naif Aljaweni met his match at last, but was ecstatic about getting so far in his first world championship.
QUARTER-FINAL 4: FRANCISCO BUSTAMANTE 10:5 FABIO PETRONI
Italy's Fabio Petroni looked a little less confident during his battle with Filipino, Francisco Bustamante.
SEMI-FINAL 1: WU CHIA CHING 10:5 NIELS FEIJEN
Niels was making nothing on his break and Wu simply didn't miss. Every time Wu need to open a cluster he always got some shape on a ball somewhere and seemed to always get good position.
This needs to be stated clearly because Wu plays at a good pace and doesn't ponder on his shots for too long, but it has to be more than luck - it appears that Wu really knows how to control cluster splits to another level of understanding.
His manager watches every single match and writes down notes about particular match plays and they obviously work through the book at some stage after each match.
It's certainly a worthwhile endeavour as Wu's control on the table is second to none.
SEMI-FINAL 2: NICK VAN DEN BERG 10:8 FRANCISCO BUSTAMANTE
Francisco Bustamante was utilising a soft break from the side of the table and not making balls on the snap. Six times he broke dry, it's actually a tribute to his game that he managed to get this far in the tournament at all, as he has problems with his arm,, thus denying him use of his humungous breaking ability, and has been prevaricating the necessary treatment.
Van den Berg played a solid game and made lots of balls on the break, 5 balls occasionally scurrying off the table on his centre spot break.
THE QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS
Wu Chia Chiang (TPE) 10:9 Daryl Peach (UK)
Niels Feijen (NED) 10:7 Mika Immonen (FIN)
Nick Van Den Berg (NED) 10:4 Naif Alfaweni (KSA)
Francisco Bustamante (PHI) 10:5 Fabio Petroni (ITA)
THE SEMI-FINAL RESULTS
Wu Chia Chiang (TPE) 10:5 Niels Feijen (NED)
Nick Van Den Berg (NED) 10:8 Francisco Bustamante (PHI)
THE FINAL 16:00 Wu Chia Ching (TPE) v Nick Van Den Berg (NED)
