Koreans cherish superstar in ladies billiard

SEOUL - The PBA tournaments in women's billiards this year have almost all been won by Ga-young Kim, a superstar for the Koreans. This year, the former pool player won her third consecutive PBA event this weekend and her 10th in total. The final this time was not a high-class match: Ga-young Kim beat 20-year-old talent Bal-hae Kwon 4-1. The semi-final was of a better standard: Ga-young Kim bested Cambodian Sruong Pheavy 4-3. The men's final is between David Martinez and Dong Koong Kang and will be played today, Monday, at 9pm Korean time, 1pm in Western Europe.

Ga-young Kim didn’t need to go to the limit for the win in the final against young Kwon. The two players played a mediocre final, in which Ga-young Kim won the first three sets 11-3, 11-8 and 11-6, had to bow to her opponent once 11-7, but was superior the next set 11-1. The averages were remarkably moderate: 0.879 for Kim, 0.518 for Kwon. Also to note: 12 bank shots were double counted for the winner. The Kim-Pheavy semi-final was much better and more exciting: Pheavy won first two sets 11-6, then Kim won two sets 11-9 and 11-2, the deciding set was 9-4 for Kim. The averages: 1.593 for Kim, 1.370 for Pheavy.

The earnings for the multi-winner Ga-young Kim at the PBA are now running high. The Korean already won 84,000 euros this year. In the total of her PBA career, the tally already is on 320,000 euros still without the guarantees and earnings in the team league. That’s  already more than she has earned in her entire pool career.

The men's tournament ends today, Monday, with the final between two seasoned players: Spaniard David Martinez and Korean Dong Koong Kang. Martinez won the semi-final on early Monday against Seung-hee Park 4-1 (average Martinez 2.464, average Park 0.885). Dong Koong Kang won in the semi-final against Phuong Linh Nguyen 4-3, averages 1.841/1.651. The deciding set ended in 11-4 for Kang. The round of 8 featured 5 Koreans, 2 Vietnamese and Spaniard Martinez. Antonio Montes, Robinson Morales and Lütfi Cenet were eliminated in the round with the best 16.

David Martinez, today, 13.00, in final against Dong Koong Kang

Dong Koong Kang