2007 Amway Women's World 9-Ball Championships

sjm said:
Once again, John, thank you so much. You made many of us feel like we were there sweating it.

Pan's aggregate score in the knockout stages of 34 racks won and just 14 racks lost absolutely boggles the mind. I wish I'd been there to see it, and I'm incredibly jealous of anyone that was there. Still, your superb commentary helped me to appreciate the magnitude of Pan's achievement.

Wishing you a safe trip home.
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You're welcome. I was just glad to be in a position to do it. So many others before me have given this type of coverage back to the pool community that I was happy to do it as well when I could. It has also given me a real appreciation for what it means to try and cover a pool tournament, and live at that.

I have had some ideas for how to make it easier and better for us amateur reporters.

Also, I had a press pass but what came along with it is major camera envy. I think I had the weakest camera there. Even six year olds on rollerblades had better cameras in their phones. :-))

Anyway, thank you all for the kind words. Now, I was glad to do it but Fury and CueSight paid for my trip. So if any of you can, please give up some link love by putting links to Fury Cues www.fury-cues.com and CueSight Billiard Supplies, www.cuesight.com wherever you can.

Take care. I will post video to YouTube in a few days/weeks.
 
Wrap up

I am home now. Just a final note to wrap up this thread. The week with the world's best ladies was really nice. The venue provided large and enthusiastic crowds but also was well short on personal space and long on distraction.

The organization was very good but was perhaps a little too dictated by the needs of the television company over the player's needs.

The staff were super helpful and they put in very full days keeping everything on track.

The media were out in force and it was an impressive showing for a pool event. They really cared about covering their stars and the stories that went along with them. Pool players in Taiwan really are stars and really do get outside gigs based solely on their achievements as players.

I was asked for my predictions a few times. After Pan beat Kelly so convincingly, for the third time Pan reminded me, I told the room full of reporters that they were looking at the next world champion. Not in Pan's presence though. I was asked who I liked between Rubilen and Pan. I said that I "liked" Rubilen's game but that she was showing too many nerves having been unable to close out the previous two matches without bobbles at the end. Pan on the other hand didn't break a sweat during the quarter and semi-final matches and that would prove to be the difference. And it was, almost apparent from game one.

As the match progressed Pan remained calm and composed never a trace of emotion crossing her face whilst Rubilen looked more and more distressed. Still, a wonderful result for the Filipina's second run at the title.

Butch Puyat is a fool if he doesn't put the Phillippine ladies on the qualifier trail in the USA if they all play like Rubilen. Rubilen Amit showed that she is world class all the way. Someone needs to teach her how to play one pocket and she will take off A LOT of guys in the states.

Pan Xiao Ting is a powerhouse of a player. I haven't seen anyone put heat on her yet so I don't know how she plays when that happens. I predict that she will be a fixture on the top of the rankings for years to come. With her break she is comparable to a tennis player who has the fastest serve. When that break is on Pan is playing six ball. Perhaps the WPBA's alternate breaks will slow her down but this year's WPC with winner breaks was just the kind of track she likes.
 
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