Feijen Claims World 9 Ball crown as Pinoy Haya falls short
For the second year in a row, a European is atop the pool world. Last year it was Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, and in 2014 it's Niels Feijen of the Netherlands.
On Friday Feijen downed Austria's Albin Ouschan 13-10 at the Al-Sadd Sports Club in Doha, Qatar to win the WPA World 9 Ball Championship. He is a previous world champion in straight pool (14.1 Continuous.)
His victory is worth US$30,000, while Ouschan settles for US$15,000. Ouschan reached the title match by defeating Chang Yu Lung of Chinese Taipei 11-7.
Ouschan is the brother of Jasmin Ouschan, a former 10 Ball world champ in the women's division. But his bid to bring another trophy to the family cabinet fell short.
The final was close and in the balance when Feijen left a nine on the table leading 9-7. The Austrian converted the tough ensuing nine ball for 9-8.
But the Dutchman took the next two with a combination of shotmaking prowess and solid safety to get to the hill. Ouschan broke and ran out to peg back a rack for 12-9.
After Niels' weak safety on the one, Ouschan ran out to draw to 12-10.
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In the next rack Niels jumped in a three ball in spectacular fashion but missed the tough five after. He did, however, leave his opponent hooked. From there Albin whiffed on the kick shot, allowing Niels to run out for the title.
Earlier in the day Filipino Elmer Haya's fairytale run in the tournament came to an end after a slovenly semifinal match where Feijen prevailed 11-7. The Dutchman wasn't at his best either, but Haya's mistakes were definitely costlier.
Haya missed a two ball in the second rack that Feijen eventually took for a 2-0 lead.
Feijen flubbed an eight ball in the next rack to allow the Pinoy to pull to 1-2. But Haya rattled a three ball into a small pocket in the next rack, allowing the Netherlands man to go ahead 3-1.
The Filipino won the next two racks and after Feijen bludgeoned a seven ball into the side jacked up, Haya went ahead 4-3.
But Feijen was level a rack later after he capitalized on another Haya miss on the one ball. In the next rack a nervous Haya blundered again, missing a four ball, allowing Niels to edge ahead 5-4.
Incredibly in the next rack, Haya misfired once more. He got too straight on the seven ball and in force-following to get on the nine ball scratched into the side. Feijen led 6-4. A rack later the Dutchman prevailed in a safety battle for 7-4.
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But two racks later it was Feijen's turn to make an error as he hung a thin shot on the six into the side. Haya ran out for a second rack on the trot and 6-7.
But on the very next rack the gremlins returned to Haya' shooting arm as he overran position to the nine ball and was forced to take it into the side instead of the corner. He missed it thin, and Feijen restored a two-rack advantage, 8-6.
They traded break-and-run-outs for 9-7 and in rack 17 Haya faced a long straight-ish one ball to help get back on level turns. But Haya missed the shot and also followed the white ball into the pocket for a scratch. Feijen ran out the rack and the next one for his finals berth.
Afterwards Haya admitted he had difficulty adjusting to the balls on the TV table, which he said were different from those used in previous stages of the event. They used brand new balls in the final that spinned differently from the slightly more worn-out ones used previously.
“Doon ako kinabahan” said the 37-year-old from Molave, Zamboanga del Sur.
But Haya also admitted what was evident to the spectators: that the pressure of the TV table also got to him.
“Medyo umiba pakiramdam ko. Experience ata ang tawag diyan.” It was Haya's first taste of the TV table all week.
Haya collects US$7,500 for his week's work and will be consoled by one fact: it took a champion to defeat him at the World 9 Ball Championship.
Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH. Special thanks to Ted Lerner of the WPA for all his help this past week.
