Han Yu Takes Her Second Title in Women World 9-Ball – 9球世錦賽韓雨逆轉險勝奪冠

The “Citic GuoAn Cup” Womens’ World 9 Ball Championship 2016 held her showdown today on Mount Emei in Sichuan China, featuring the Japanese #1 player Chihiro Kawahara and China’s Han Yu, the 2013 winner of this tournament, in the final of the highest hounour in ladies’ pool.

Han made a tremendous effort in coming back from 1-5 down, and with a gigantic run out in the last rack, to win the championship 9-7, for a second time in her professional career. Han joins Ga-Young Kim of South Korea in third place to have won this champion twice, while Liu ShaSha of China had won it 3 times, and Allison Fisher being on top of the list with 4 titles in her pocket since 2001.

Born in 1985 (Osaka) and since turning professional in 2005, Chihiro had won numerous titles over the past years. Seeded #10 in this event, Chihiro finally made her debut in the world championship final this time.

Chihiro kicked started the final match with a break & run to take the first lead, then executed her defensive shots right to snatched the second and third racks. Han made one back after her time-out but Chihiro broke and ran again to make it 4-1. Both player made one rack each before Han made a 3-9 combination shot in the to set the turning point of the match. One break & run each meant Han was able to keep the score difference within 2.

Chihiro Kawahara 河原千尋

Han gradually came back to made it all square at seven all. Chihiro had the chance to reach the hill first, but gave the chance away to her opponent by missing a relatively easy 7 ball. Han then came back to the table again to break for the championship. This time, her break & run meant so much as it led her to the world title on home soil for a second time.

In the playoff earlier, the young Gao Meng, who lost to Chihiro on hill-hill yesterday evening, set the final score at 9-6 over the off-form Bai Ge, the Chinese 8-Ball World Champion in 2005, to snatched the 3rd place.

2016“中信國安”杯世界女子9球錦標賽於峨眉山體育館落下帷幕，在最終進行的決賽上，韓雨在一度1-5落後的局面下實現大逆轉，9-7力克日本老將河原千尋奪得桂冠，這也是其職業生涯第2座世錦賽冠軍獎杯，僅次於4冠的Allison Fisher和3冠的劉莎莎，與金佳映並列歷史第三位。

女子9球世錦賽是目前世界上級別最高、規模最大，影響力也最大的女子花式撞球賽事，自2009年落戶中國以來先後在瀋陽 (2009-2013)、桂林 (2014-2015) 兩座城市舉行，本次是女子9球世錦賽首次來到天府之國四川。

經過六天的激烈比拼，中國9球國家隊隊員、2013年世界冠軍韓雨與日本名將河原千尋出現在了決賽場上，後者儘管在中國的名聲並不響亮，但也是一位實打實的頂尖好手，1985年1月5日出生於大阪的她2005年進軍職業，曾連續3年 (2012-2014) 高居日本女子球員排名榜榜首，今年以10號種子的身份參賽，本次比賽也是其職業生涯首次殺入世錦賽決賽。

Han Yu 韓雨

比賽首局，河原千尋衝球清台，先聲奪人。次局，韓雨衝球不理想，選擇防守，河原千尋強攻得手卻在銜接3號時發生失誤，不過她解球效果很好形成了反吊，韓雨解球漏球，河原千尋順勢清台，再下一城。第三局，河原千尋衝球有下，但不利於進攻，她選擇吊球，韓雨雖然解到，但留下了機會，河原千尋再次清台，將比分擴大為3-0.此時，韓雨請求暫停。

暫停回來後，韓雨衝球效果仍不理想，她不得以選擇防守，兩人陷入安全球大戰。一番僵持後，韓雨白球摔袋，河原千尋手中球選擇1傳9，不可思議的未能傳進，而且留下機會，韓雨趁機清台，扳回一局。第五局，河原千尋再度衝球清台，比分4-1。第六局，韓雨衝球後選擇防守，幾回合後，又是河原千尋抓住機會上手直接清台，比分拉大到5-1.第七局比賽雙方陷入纏鬥，韓雨打破僵局完成清台，吹響反攻號角。第八局，韓雨衝球後選擇3傳9成功打下，比分迫近到3-5.第九局，河原千尋完成本場第3次衝球清台，但這並沒有遏制住韓雨的反撲勢頭。第十局，韓雨終於完成衝球清台，將比分差距縮小至兩局。此後的比賽，韓雨在攻防兩端均做出了很大提高，終於一步一步追平，反超，直至9-7拿下比賽勝利。

在稍早結束的季軍爭奪戰中，高夢9-6小勝狀態不佳的白鴿，獲得第三名，刷新了此前自己八強的最佳戰績，而白鴿雖然只得到了第四名，但她也同樣創造了自己世錦賽最佳戰績。

Samuel Lai / master / Alison