THE PREDATOR SPANISH Open, both open and women’s tournaments, are at the semi-final stage after an intensive days play at the Gandia Palace Hotel in Spain. The influx of some high-quality Asian players into the field means that one is guaranteed to contest the final while in the men’s event only one of the four semi-finalists has a Euro Tour title to his name.
The surprise package of the tournament is Poland’s Hubert Lopotko, who successively took down Albin Ouschan, Max Lechner and then Sanjin Pehlivanovic by 10-2 in the quarter-final. For the Polish veteran it has been his best Euro Tour showing by some distance, with the promise of more to come tomorrow.
He said, I’m very happy. You know I played with Albin, then Max Lechner and now Sanjin, they are very good players – top class players – and I’m very happy that I beat them. I’m practicing a lot now; I stopped working so it’s a full comeback to play pool and it paid me back today. I like to play with good players and on the Euro Tour there’s a lot of them. I’ll try my best tomorrow, but it’ll be ball-by-ball.”
Another player through to his first Euro Tour semi-final is Luca Menn, who put paid to Wojciech Szweczyk’s hopes of a first-ever title here, as he defeated him 10-6 to advance. Having succumbed to the bug doing the rounds here in Gandia, Menn powered through a touch of illness, winning four games in a long day.
He commented, “I’m kind of delighted as I had a really easy chance with ball-in-hand with just 4 balls and I mispositioned on the first one so I was feeling it, but luckily the layout on the next break was OK and I managed to run it. I’m happy with my game today even though I was a little sick but you have to battle through it. I hope I can sleep better today, then I’ll play my game and see what happens. It’s pool; you just have to play your game no matter who you play and anything can happen,” he added.
Menn faces countryman Felix Vogel in the semi-finals, while Lopotko goes up against Hungary’s Oliver Szolnoki.
In the women’s event, an Asia v Europe final is guaranteed as Tsai Peichun (TPE) v Liu Shasha (CHN) contest the first semi-final, while Jasmin Ouschan (AUT) goes up against Kristina Zlateva of Bulgaria in the other.
Making her debut appearance on the Euro Tour, three-times WPA World 9-Ball Champion, Shasha Liu is in with a real shout on Sunday. Having played in the Predator Pro Billiard Series events that preceded the Euro Tour, Liu stayed on and has made hay in the Spanish winter sunshine. She beat countrywoman Yu Han to advance to Sunday and, given her pedigree, has every chance.
Commented Liu, “I’m really enjoying Spain, especially the weather and I’m enjoying the paella and it’s nice to come here and have two tournaments back-to-back and enjoy the atmosphere in the arena. I’m just trying to focus on every shot and every match and trying not to put to much pressure on myself and see how it goes.”
Playing her first Predator Women’s Euro Tour tournament of the year, having relocated to the United States, Kristina Zlateva is on track to reach her first ever final after putting paid to Pia Filler by 8-5 in the quarter-finals.
She said, “To be honest I felt pretty balanced, pretty calm. I made just a few mistakes but they didn’t throw me off and I felt I played solid overall and my breaks were working. I feel I’ve been playing very solid; the equipment is still hard for me to adapt to although I don’t know why. Obviously, it’s a long race and you have to keep your energy for a longer time and stay focused and I think that’s the most important thing,” she concluded.
The semi-finals are slated for 11.00 and then 14.00, the with the two finals running simultaneously at 17.00. Streaming of Tables 1 and 2 can be found on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV channel - https://www.youtube.com/@
For all results, live scoring and draw, visit https://www.epbf.com/