Just spoke with one of the players from the 2008 Amway World event. It sounds like a fabulous tournament, with no real equivalent in the U.S.
There are top women players from all over the world, including many of the Asian players we do not see often. There is evidently extensive press and television coverage of the event. They have national polls in the papers and on television about who seems to be the favorite player (Jeanette Lee in a landslide, even over the Chinese players); and there has been a lot of television time for the popular players.
I have heard that the equipment has very fast cloth (evidently much faster than the WPBA events) and has given many of the players a LOT of trouble (skidding of the balls, and positioning whitey). I have heard that some of the Japanese events were held on tables covered with super-fast billiard cloth, I wonder if this is the same thing. It is a different game if you are not used to it. Of course the top players seem to be adapting well.
My wife, who of course has NO interest in pool whatsoever, is with one of the players; and reports that even she is impressed by the level of interest in pool in Taipei. It seems that everywhere they go, there are fans and media beseiging the players. And anytime they turn on the television, there seems to be something about the players or the tournament. A bit different here in the U.S.A.
There are top women players from all over the world, including many of the Asian players we do not see often. There is evidently extensive press and television coverage of the event. They have national polls in the papers and on television about who seems to be the favorite player (Jeanette Lee in a landslide, even over the Chinese players); and there has been a lot of television time for the popular players.
I have heard that the equipment has very fast cloth (evidently much faster than the WPBA events) and has given many of the players a LOT of trouble (skidding of the balls, and positioning whitey). I have heard that some of the Japanese events were held on tables covered with super-fast billiard cloth, I wonder if this is the same thing. It is a different game if you are not used to it. Of course the top players seem to be adapting well.
My wife, who of course has NO interest in pool whatsoever, is with one of the players; and reports that even she is impressed by the level of interest in pool in Taipei. It seems that everywhere they go, there are fans and media beseiging the players. And anytime they turn on the television, there seems to be something about the players or the tournament. A bit different here in the U.S.A.