March 2, 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.
By Samuel Lai, McLean and Alison Chang
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.