Ouschan Aces WPBA Tour Championship
WPBA Tour Championship / Hollywood, FL
by Anne Craig
The WPBA Tour Championship finals were set as two fierce competitors entered the arena, ready to do battle for the title. Jasmin Ouschan came into this final poised to win her third WPBA title of the season, and Xiaoting Pan was looking for her first win since the 2008 BCA Generationpool.com event. The crowd was amped up and ready for a great match as the competitors stepped into the arena for the lag, which Jasmin won. She broke and pocketed two balls; the table layout was wide open with one exception—the 2 ball which was tied up with an unmakeable combo, so Ouscha elected to play safe. Pan kicked at the 2 ball, hitting it but leaving Ouschan an open shot for the side pocket. Ouschan ran out to take the first game of the match.
Pan broke and was forced to play a safety, and after a short exchange, Ouschan gained the advantage by making a tough cut on the 1 ball. She earned decent position on the 2 but missed it, perhaps thinking too much about getting to the 3 ball. Pan took advantage of the error, running out to the 7, but she snookered herself behind the 9. She jumped and made the 7 in the side but the Cue ball came right back around behind the 9 again. She chose to kick at it two rails and missed the ball entirely, giving Ouschan ball in hand for the easy 1-2 punch to go up 2-0.
Ouschan broke in game 3, pocketing two balls with a touchy little cut on the 1 ball to start the rack. Nailing the shot beautifully, she sent the Cue ball back and forth three times between the two side rails with position for the 2 ball uptable. From there it was just a matter of intense focus as Ouschan ran out to take a three-game lead, 3-0. Pan made the 1 ball on her break and, after a tricky little cut on the 2 ball, continued on with the 3. She had left herself a long cut shot into the opposite corner pocket with only 4 inches separating the 3 and the Cue ball, and she undercut it slightly. She got another opportunity, though, when Ouschan missed the ball. Pan made the 3 with great position on the 5 ball and ran out to take her first game of the match, down 1-3.
Ouschan came into this final poised to win her third WPBA title of the season, and Pan was looking for her first win since the 2008 BCA Generationpool.com event.
Ouschan had the break advantage in game five, making the 1 and 3 balls with position for the 2 and put together her third break and run of the match to go up 4-1. Pan broke in game six, pocketed a ball with position for the 2, and showed her stuff as she ran out and the score was 4-2.
WPBA Tour Championship Tournament Brackets
Ouschan broke and although she made a ball, she was forced to play safe. Pan’s return safe came up dry as she left Ouschan a long shot on the 2. Pocketing the ball, Ouschan continued on and ran out the rest of the rack to go up 5-2. Pan’s break came up dry and the two became embroiled in a safety battle on the 3 ball. Pan blinked first, allowing Ouschan yet another run-out opportunity that she took full advantage of to take the hill 6-2.
Ouschan broke and pocketed a ball but missed the 1 ball, which set off a safety battle between them. Pan ended up leaving Ouschan snookered behind the 7 and partially the 6 ball for the 2, all lined up across the short side of the table. The crowd cheered as Ouschan jumped the 7 ball, missing the 6 and hitting the 2 dead center of the side pocket for position on the next ball and she ran out for a final score of 7-2 and winning the title of the 2009 WPBA Tour Champion and her third title of the season.
As always, the WPBA would like to give many thanks to their hosts, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and staff, especially Tribal Chairman Mr. David Cypress, and all the folks at Seminole Media Productions: Elrod Bowers, Dennis Pellarin, Bobby Frank, Erica and Lakisha. Special thanks to all our shot clock volunteers, especially Janis Holliman who earns the diehard fan of the tournament award. Thanks to Gene Weaver, APA League Operator here in the Ft. Lauderdale area. And of course their sponsors: The American Pooplayers Association, Aramith, Brunswick Billiards, Cuetec Cues, Mueller Recreational Products, Pooldawg.com and Simonis, Inc. for another great season and their support of the Women’s Professional Billiard Association.