Day 2 Review of The World Chinese 8ball Masters Grand Final – 總決賽次日綜述

World Chinese Eight Ball Masters Grand Final 2017 concluded its second day of competition in Qinhuangdao, China. Whether it is Ouschan’s cool, Pizarro’s dedication, or veteran XIE Zhaohui’s all-round play, the audience were deeply impressed by all the shows that the players have put up. As much as the Chinese armies are on the down turn, they still have a slight edge in the game; while the international troops proved themselves not being underdogs by demonstrating their ultimate strength.

Both WANG Yun and ZHANG GuangHao lost to DAI Yong, and faith had brought the two together in the fourth round. The encounter came down to a hill-hill decider at 12:12 and Wang scratched the cue ball after sinking the final eight ball. It was absolutely heart-breaking when Wang was being eliminated through deciders.

2017 World Chinese 8ball Masters Grand Finale - DAY 2 Xie Zhaohui

XIE Zhaohui 謝召輝

As for YANG Fan, the biggest hot favourite to win in this tournament, just when everyone thought that it was his strategy to move into the far side, he unexpectedly lost to veteran XIE Zhaohui with a big 6:13. Even though Yang demonstrated 2 clearances and 4 break-and-runs, it was Xie who put on an even better show.

In the other matches, DONG Yi broke and ran in the decider against former world champion SHI Hanqing. In addition, the young LI Bo, who had been performing really well, joined LIU Yang in the elimination list. CHEN Qiang was out with a score of 7:13 after not being able to make a comeback against Albin Ouscha. WU Zhenyu is being sent to the other side by GONG Haifeng. Other hot favourites such as ZHENG Yubo, Dai Yong, SHEN Chongyang and ZHANG Kunpeng are through to the next round.

2017 World Chinese 8ball Masters Grand Finale - DAY 2 Xi Hongyu

XI Hongyu 溪紅羽

Gareth Potts was in his ebb and received a big blow from XI Hongyu of China. The two met in the Beijing Challenge 2014 and Potts thrashed Xi with a big 14:2. However, it was a tight one when these two met again after three years, and it was Xi who took down Potts by 11:10 this time. With Potts moving to the other end, the consolation bracket has become more “glamorous” with more stars joining in.

Denis Grabe of Estonia joined Potts in the consolation despite putting in a tremendous effort to come back to 9:10 from 0:6 down against the young ZHAO Yunbiao; Zhao eventually won 13:9. Australia’s Justin Campbell also joined in after losing 10:11 to veteran FAN Zhisong of China.

Despite the fall of many overseas stars, Francisco Diaz Pizarro of Spain managed to keep his winning streaking and became the only one in the “international troop” that won three in a row.

Albin Ouschan

中國秦皇島第五屆喬氏杯中式八球國際大師賽全球總決賽結束了第二日的全部爭奪，無論是Ouschan的霸氣灑脫，還是Diaz Pizarro的嚴謹細膩亦或是老將謝召輝的剛柔並濟，都讓人印象深刻。縱觀今，次日所有比賽，“中國軍團”呈現由盛轉衰的趨勢，不過仍占據上風，而賽前並不被看好的“國際軍團”則表現出了強大的生命力!

王云與張廣豪分別在首輪與勝部第一輪碰上代勇，但兩人都沒能過得了代勇那關，相繼輸球落入敗部。而兩人更在敗部第四輪遭遇上對方。在12:12，關鍵的第25局中，王云在一記擊球中，意外地讓黑八進袋，因此就以12:13斷送勝利。

而最大的冠軍爭奪者楊帆在跌落敗部後，在與老將謝召輝的對陣中，以6:13大比分輸球。如此大比分並非楊帆打得不好，而是完全能以平常心看待的謝召輝發揮的更加優異!

其他場次比賽中，石漢青與董艺戰至12:12平，決勝局被董艺一桿炸清，以12:13輸球出局。而一直發揮優異的小將李博和劉洋也同樣被淘汰出局。陳強在大比分落後Ouschan的情況下，沒能如願上演逆轉好戲，7:13被Ouschan淘汰出局。吳振宇也被宮海峰斬落敗部，而鄭宇伯、代勇、申重陽、張堃鵬等選手則如願贏得勝利!