Xiaoting Pan
Hollywood, FL - Kelly Fisher, the 2008 Player of the Year, and Xiaoting Pan, the number 2 ranked player on tour for 2009, were both looking for their first win of this season. What better place than the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino for the 2009 WPBA Tour Championships? With the camera’s rolling and the crowd rooting on their favorite player, Semi Final #2 began with the lag for the break. Kelly Fisher won the lag and pocketed a ball to get things rolling. She missed the 2 ball though but left a tough cut for Xiaoting, who chose to play a safety. Kelly’s poor return safety resulted in a potential 2/9 combination although it wasn’t an easy one for Xiaoting who lined up the shot carefully. Without batting an eye, she made it dead center and took the first game of the match. Xiaoting broke in game two but was forced to push out leaving Kelly a long cut on the 1. She made it perfectly but the shape she was forced to take on the 2 was less than ideal so she played a safe, starting a safety battle between the two competitors. Kelly found herself with a tough long shot but snookered herself on the 3 ball and missed the one rail kick shot giving Xiaoting ball in hand. Xiaoting ran out to take the 2-0 lead. Kelly broke in game 3 but was forced to play a safe. Xiaoting kicked the 1 ball in, banked the 2 ball and ran out to the 7 ball but rattled the ball, allowing Kelly to finish the rack and the score was now 1-2 with Xiaoting breaking. The 95lb competitor "stuck the landing" on the cue ball and made 2 balls on the break. She pocketed the 1 but missed the 2 ball, but left Kelly snookered behind the 4. Kelly was forced to kick at the 2 two rails; hitting the bottom rail then the side rail just above the side pocket, the cue ball struck the 2 just right and went into the corner pocket as the crowd cheered but those cheers turned to groans as the cue ball headed right for the other corner pocket and scratched. Kelly just shook her head as she sat down and Xiaoting took ball in hand to run out and retake the 2 game lead up 3-1. Kelly went into game 5 with the break and looking to the pool gods to cut her some slack. She pocketed a ball, and the only real trouble on the table was shape from the 1 to the 2 ball. The 6 ball had rolled up ahead of the 2 and blocked open shape to the corner pocket. She had no problem navigating the issue and ran out to get back within one game, down 2-3.
Xiaoting had the break in game 6 and after pocketing a ball ran out for a 2/9 combination to take a 2 game lead, up 4-2. Kelly failed to pocket a ball on her break in game 7, but Xiaoting was forced to start a safety exchange on the 2 ball. After Kelly was forced to jump, she left Xiaoting a long straight in shot which she made and continued through the rack. With her characteristic no-nonsense style, Xiaoting ran out and took a 3 game lead, up 5-2. Xiaoting also had the break advantage, but failed to make anything and the crowd clapped, encouraging Kelly to stay in this match and run out. Kelly actually slowed down her game play, playing to the 6/9 combination which she pocketed to add another game to the score, but still down 3-5. She did have the break in game 9 and made the 7 into the side pocket. She had no shape for an open shot on the 1 and played safe but she left the barest of windows for Xiaoting to not only see the one, but to make it. She had had to use her extension so when Steve called out "10" (seconds) on the shot she had for the 3 ball, she rushed to pocket the ball in time and did so, continuing through the layout and ran out to reach the hill up 6-3. Xiaoting broke in game 10 but failed to make a ball and again the crowd called out "Come on, Kelly!"; no one wanted to see the match end just yet. Kelly ran out to the 3, made the ball but missed shape badly on the 4 and missed the 2 rail kick giving Xiaoting ball in hand to reach her first finals of the 2009 season. Xiaoting ran out and wins 7-3. Kelly finishes tied for 3rd with Jeanette Lee.
It's now down to Xiaoting Pan and Jasmin Ouschan to determine the National Champion.
