Rita Chou lifted the Amway Cup high for a third time – 周婕妤安麗盃三度奪冠

Amway Cup full 3D logo 777x437_strong_5_5

March 2, 2014, Taipei – The moment came when Chieh-Yu Chou (Rita) made a magical break-and-run to complete an 11-8 win over Kelly Fisher in the 2014 Amway eSpring World 9-Ball Open Final at the Taipei Gymnasium.

Kelly’s attempt for a 16th consecutive win was ended, while Rita lifted the Amway Cup for the third time in her career.Kelly took the opening rack by clearing the table after Rita failed to pot the 1-ball. In the second rack, Kelly mis-positioned the 2-ball and decided to play a safety, Rita saved the shot but left a chance opened, Kelly picked up and cleared the table after a lucky 4-ball. Rita hit back by sinking the 9-ball with the cue ball after hitting the 2 to take the third rack. In the fourth, the cue ball scratched after Kelly potted the 2, Rita took the chance to square at 2-2.

Rita went on and took the lead by clearing the table after a marvelous bank shot on the 1-ball. Kelly scratched again in the sixth rack, but even though Rita did not pot the 9-ball, Kelly also failed her bank shot, Rita then claimed the rack and led by 4-2.

Rack-outs were exchanged between the two players in the seventh, eigth, and the ninth rack. In the tenth, Kelly banked in the 3-ball with the 1-ball and cleared the table. Even though Rita made a mistake in the eleventh, she managed to kick the 5-ball and went on the win the rack. The score stood at 7-4 in Rita’s favour.

Kelly won the twelve rack by wrapping up after Rita hooked herself on the 4-ball. Rita came back in the thirteenth, clearing the table after Kelly failed an extremely fine cut on the 3-ball and left it over the pocket.

In the fourteenth rack, Kelly made a fantastic 5-9 ball combination jump shot to get one back. Rita played a safety on the 1-ball after breaking the next rack and Kelly returned with a hooked shot. Even though Rita left a chance for Kelly after saving the shot, the 5-ball did not save her this time as the cue ball scratched after Kelly potting it. The score was 9-6 in Rita’s favour.

Rita asked Kelly to play again on her push-out call in the sixteenth rack. Kelly misjudged her safety shot, but Rita once again hooked herself on the 4-ball after potting the 3-ball, and Kelly cleared the table after Rita saved that shot. The first illegal-break came in the seventeen rack against Rita, Kelly then potted the 1-ball and decided to play safe. Rita’s jump shot sunk the 5-ball and she went on to snatch the rack to put herself on the hill.

It was this crucial moment that Kelly held her breath to perform yet another break-and-run to save one tournament point.

Nevertheless, under the alternative-break system, Rita resembled her opponent and gave Kelly no chance to return to the table. Rita secured an 11-8 win over Kelly and lifted the Amway Cup high for a third time.

2014 Amway Cup - Chieh-Yu Chou with Trophy

2014年度安利益之源盃在臺北體育館進入到最後一個比賽日的較量。在最終的決賽中,周婕妤以11比8擊敗Kelly Fisher,在終結了Kelly Fisher的15連勝的同時,也獲得了個人第三座安利盃的冠軍獎盃。

首局比賽,周婕妤1號球進攻失誤,Fisher接手清台,1比0。第2局,Fisher2號球走位失誤只能選擇防守,周婕妤解球後留下機會,Fisher幸運地暈下4號球後完成清台,2比0。第3局,周婕妤打進2號球後母球將9號球撞下,1比2。第4局,Fisher打進2號球後母球摔入中袋,周婕妤利用手中球扳平比分,2比2。第5局,周婕妤衝球後精彩地翻下1號球並完成清台,3比2。第6局,Fisher打進1號球時母球洗袋,周婕妤9號球沒進,Fisher嘗試灌球未果,周婕妤繼續以4比2領先。

第7局,周婕妤衝球直接完成清台,5比2。第8局,凱莉回敬一個直接清台,3比5。第9局,周婕妤依舊完成直接清台,6比3。第10局,Fisher精彩的1號球灌袋將袋口的3號球撞進並隨即完成清台,4比6。第11局,周婕妤雖然4號球進攻出現失誤,但隨後一桿漂亮的解球進袋讓她再得一分,7比4。第12局,周婕妤打進3號球後4號球形成自吊,解球犯規後Fisher利用手中球清台,5比7。第13局,周婕妤3號球中袋進攻不中,Fisher大角度薄球將3號球留在袋口,周婕妤清台後以8比5領先。

第14局,Fisher精彩的跳球打下5號球和9號球的組合球,6比8。第15局,周婕妤衝球後1號球選擇防守,Fisher做出吊球,周婕妤解球留下機會,但是Fisher打進5號球後母球洗袋,周婕妤以9比6領先。第16局,Fisher衝球後選擇推桿,周婕妤讓Fisher繼續擊打,Fisher防守失誤,但周婕妤隨後3號球走位失誤,解球留下機會後凱莉完成清台,7比9。第17局,周婕妤衝球違例,Fisher 1號球打下後2號球選擇防守,周婕妤跳球進攻撞下5號球,隨即完成清台,10比7拿到賽點。第18局,Fisher直接清台,8比10。第19局,周婕妤直接清台,以11比8擊敗Kelly Fisher獲得冠軍。

By Samuel Lai, McLean and Alison Chang