Logo
Print this page

Black ball win for Irina Gorbataya

Irina Gorbataya - Russia Irina Gorbataya - Russia IBSF Media

The Russian ace cueist Irina Gorbataya's match against Yana Shut of Belarus swung like a pendulum with both the players winning the alternate frames. Though Irina did have a chance in the fourth frame to close the proceedings but Yana ended the game and forced the decider to be laid on the green baize. The fifth frame was so fiercely fought that it all came down to the black ball and in the end it was Irina who held her nerves better and  potted the much needed black ball to win the match 3-2.

If yesterday in the men’s arena the defending World Champion had it easy, then today in the women’s group Wendy Jans, the reigning champion  faced  stiff competition from Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan of Thailand. Winning the first frame, Siripaporn made her intention quite clear to all present and the champion that she was not to be taken lightly. Having forced the decider Siripaporn really had no answers to Wendy in the fifth frame as Wendy went about proving why she is the World Champion. In the do or die frame, Wendy clinically went about  accumulating  81 points without giving any chance to Siripaporn who could not even manage to pot a single red.

Last year's bronze medal winner, Vidya Pillai, had no problem at all as she defeated Diana Schuler from Germany. She won all three frames, to close the proceedings 3-0. This was her second consecutive win in the championship. In another match which needs mentioning, Anastasia Nechaeva was penalized by one frame as she appeared late for match. Despite that she played with full determination and defeated the Indian player Chitra M. quite convincingly with a score line of 3-1.

In the men's group, Ryan Causton's “come from behind” story did not have a good ending. Though Ryan won the first frame 73-33, but it was Arpat who railroaded the next three frames with scores of 61-22, 55-41 and 66-49. He was looking to seal the match but lost the fifth frame on black ball and Ryan suddenly felt that maybe the stars have shifted to his side. If winning the fifth was not proof enough, the win in the sixth proved the shifting of the stars to be a reality.  But in the decider Arpats’ break of 57 shattered the short-lived reality and Ryan’s story turned out to be a tragedy.

As the “Old is Gold’ took to the tables today it was classroom time for the youngsters. The defending champion, Darren Morgan from Wales mesmerized the spectators by winning all three frames in quick succession. He defeated Pierre Jordaan from South Africa who had no other option but to be a mute spectator as Morgan did not allow him to score even a single point in all the three frame (124(52,50)-00, 89(89)-00, 103(103)-00. That’s the way the game is played !

Robert Marshall from England was the second teacher of the day. Though he gave away the first frame but dominated  the next three frames and defeated Juha Lehto from Finland, with scores of 98(68)-00, 101(88)-16, 68-18.

The two Indian Masters on day today, won their respective matches 3-0. S.A. Saleem crafted an 81 points break in the opening frame and carried the momentum into the next two frames in his match against Vadzim Shut from Belarus. While Nigel Lazar also beat his opponent Mohammad Aliabadi with ease.

Related items

Latest from Vivek Pathak - Media Officer, IBSF

International Billiards and Snooker Federation