Mark Gray (GBR) defeated Sebastian Staab (GER) in an epic thriller with 9:8 at the Dynamic Billard Treviso Open Euro-Tour in Treviso, Italy.
Gray was the clearly favoured to win this match. The early stage of the match seemed to confirm that assumption. It was Staab who committed some easy mistakes and Gray punishing him for that. The British quickly took a two rack lead at 3:1 and 4:2 over Staab. Then suddenly the German seemed to get some momentum going in his game and won rack after rack, mainly because Gray’s break let him down big time. Staab not only levelled the match at 4:4, he even went ahead and all of a sudden took a 6:4 lead over Gray. That kind of shocked Gray and Staab remained focussed and cool, using his chances to get on the hill first with 8:6. The was an ultimate pressure moment for Gray. But the experienced 6-time winner of Euro-Tour events remained as solid as a rock and took two racks in a row, making the match a hill-hill thriller at 8:8. Staat was breaking in the deciding rack. He failed in having balls pocketed and allowed Gray to an open table. The Brit took that chance and cleared the rack, winning the match with the closest of all results 9:8 over a disappointed Sebastian Staab.
Gray (left) and Staab
Gray will play tomorrow at 10:00 CET in the single elimination round of the final 16 players while Staab has to settle for 17th place in the tournament. Commented Mark Gray on this facebook page after the match: „Granite still fighting!!!! Don’t know how I won that !!! But somehow beat Germany’s Sebastian Staab 9-8 from 6-8 down!!! Table was playing very funky which effected both of us!!! Obviously change of weather here effects conditions from day to day…. Anyway through to final 16 , play continues 10am tomoz local time and I play Poland’s Mateusz Sniegocki….“
Other remarkable results in the same round include Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz (ESP) taking down Mario He (AUT) with 9:8. David Alcaide (ESP) won 9:7 over Gray’s teammate Imran Majid (GBR) after having trailed 1:4 in the match already.
The Dynamic Billard Treviso Open will commence tomorrow morning at 10:00 CET with matches from the last 16 players single elimination..
The Dynamic Billard Treviso Open are played in the Best Western BHR Hotel in Treviso, Italy, on up to 24 tables which are all streamed LIVE throughout the whole event. In order to be able to follow all the action LIVE, premium membership can be obtained at www.kozoom.com. Once a premium membership is held, all events for the respective period of time can be viewed LIVE. Additionally, a huge video gallery is contained in the website.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.eurotouronline.com or visit us on Facebook for regular news clips or contact our press office [email protected].