(l to r): Jaydev Zaveri, Matt Klein, Paul Carpenter & Ramilo Tanglao
Fresh off what proved to be his best earnings year, to date, Jaydev Zaveri chalked up a win on the Predator Pro Am Tour’s 2019 season opener on the weekend of January 26-27. It took him until May to record his first 2018 event victory, on the Tri-State Tour, in what was nearly the end of that tour’s 2017-2018 season. He finished among the top five B players on the 2018 Predator Tour, is currently the #1 B+ points leader in the Tri-State’s 2018-2019 season (14 appearances) and with this season-opening win is #1 on the Predator Pro Am Tour, as well. His wife, Shweta, in the meantime, has worked her way to the top of the Tri-State Tour’s female competitors. The 2019 Predator season opener, a $1,000-added event that launched the tour’s 12th year, drew 94 entrants to Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.
Zaveri had to contend with Paul Carpenter twice in this one. They met first in the hot seat match, after Zaveri had sent Lidio Ramirez to the loss side 8-4 and Carpenter had downed Greg Ackerson 7-2. Carpenter claimed the hot seat 7-3 over Zaveri and waited on his return from the semifinals against Matt Klein.
It was Ramirez who ran into Klein on the loss side. Klein had recently eliminated Eli Trajceski and Bryan Jeziorski, both 7-5. Ackerson picked up Romilo Tanglao, who’d survived a double hill battle versus Suzzie Wong, and got by Ryan Dayrit 7-5 to reach him. Tanglao and Klein advanced to the quarterfinals after handing Ackerson and Ramirez their second straight loss; Tanglao over Ackerson 7-2 and Klein over Ramirez 8-2.
Klein eliminated Tanglao 7-4 in those quarterfinals and advanced to meet Zaveri in the semifinals. A 7-5 win by Zaveri gave him a second shot at Carpenter and he took full advantage, downing him 9-7 to complete his first title run of the 12th Predator Pro Am year.
A Second Chance event drew 16 entrants. Duc Lam took top honors and $160. Zain Sundaram took second place ($100) with Jimmy Acosta and Bianca Marinez tied for 3rd place ($30 each).
Tour director Tony Robles thanked Manny Stamatakis and his Steinway Billiards staff, as well as title sponsor Predator Cues, Ozone Billiards, NAPL, The DeVito Team, PoolontheNet.com, Billiards Digest, AZBilliards, Pool & Billiards Magazine and his entire staff, including his lovely wife, Gail. The next stop on the Predator Pro Am Tour, scheduled for the weekend of February 9-10, will be hosted by Cue Bar in Bayside (Queens), NY.
