Fabio Petroni (ITA), probably the most experienced and successful Italian player, just eliminated current #1 ranked player Albin Ouschan (AUT) from the winner's side of the Dynamic Billiards European Open in Treviso, Northern Italy.
Playing on one's home turf can be an advantage or not. For Petroni, it seems to be an energy boost. Whenever he performs in Italy, he is hard to predict. Today, Euro-Tour ranking leader Ouschan was his victim in the first winner's round of the double elimination stage. Petroni performed solid and played very ambitious. He fought fiercely and got a quick 3:1 lead over Ouschan. But the Austrian is not the #1 in Europe by accident. He started a strong comeback on Petroni and even managed to overtake the Italian, taking a 6:5 lead. Then again, it was Petroni to show nerves and good shooting and he made four more racks, seizing the match with 9:6 off Ouschan. Ouschan will go to the loser's side while Petroni needs to win one more match over Ekonomopoulos on the winner's side in order to qualify for tomorrow's single elimination stage.
Other notable results include Daryl Peach (GBR) winning with 9:8 over Dimitri Jungo (SUI). Senior player Vegar Kristiansen (NOR), a former regular on the European pool scene, rocked the boat by winning 9:8 over Roman Hybler (CZE). Denis Grabe (EST) defeated two British players in two consecutive rounds: first he took care of Richard Jones with 9:2. Then he also defeated Jones' roommate Mark Gray (GBR) with 9:5. Poland's Konrad Piekarski won 9:6 over Germany's Dominic Jentsch. Since the format is still double elimination, no player from today's competition is out of the tournament yet. The loser's still have one chance on the loser's side to qualify for the single elimination tomorrow.
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.europeanopenonline.eu , follow us on twitter @EPBF_News or contact our press office.