Finals - Souquet vs. Alcano

Rack 19

Souquet pockets 3, but again, hasn't finished on the lowest-numbered ball. He tries a 1-rail kick safety, but has left the 3 open.

Alcano pockets the 3, but clips the 4 after hitting the rail, leaving a very tough shot. Alcano is up to the task, and drains the 4 like it was nothing.

Out again.

Alcano 13-6 and breaking.

-djb
 
Rack 20

Ronato breaks, pocketing the wing ball in the corner, and finishes on the 1.

This is an elementary rack, and it may be over quickly as the 6-9 looks dead.

It is.

Alcano 14-6, Souquet's break.

-djb
 
Rack 21

Souquet breaks (sticking with his usual break position and speed), again makes 3 balls. He has an open shot on the two, but it's not a gimme. He makes the shot, but ends up with a tough shot on the 3. He banks it in to the side pocket, and now the rack looks academic.

He's gotten a funny angle on the 8, making the transition from the 8 to the 9 a little more difficult, and forcing Ralf to utilize his left hand. He nails it and finishes on the 9.

Souquet holds serve, but he's still down 14-7, with Alcano breaking.

-djb
 
Rack 22

Alcano breaks, pockets the wing ball, but he's on the 50 yard line for the 1. He's going to have to jack up a bit to get shape on the 2. He tries a bank for the corner instead of cutting the hot, but misses on the pro side, leaving the 1 on the rail.

Ralf plays a find safety, doubling the corner off the 1 to hide behind a wall of balls back near where the CB started. Alcano jumps, hits the 1 full, and leaves the 1 on for Souquet.

Souquet's got options for the 1 - safety, side pocket, or corner. Shape for the two is the difficult part.

Ralf plays the 1 in the side, playing the CB into two other balls, relying on luck to leave him shape on the 2. The way this match has gone, that was a bad idea as he is almost hooked. He can see the whole ball, though. I smell another duck and hide....

He attempts a safety, and leaves it dollied up again for Ronato.

Alcano makes the two, but hasn't landed on the 3. He kicks it successfully, and leaves it tough for Souquet. Ralf can see it, but he can't do much with it.

He ties it up with the 4.

Alcano tries to play a safety, but misses the safe. He hasn't, however, left a pocket on for the 3.

Souquet plays a safe back. Alcano safes back again, but leaves Souquet a ton of safety options.

Again, Souquet's ball speed is off, and Alcano can see a good bit of the ball. Alcano tries a long bank off the short rail, and leaves the 3 in the jaws of the side pocket.

Ralf plays short-side shape to the 4, and now the rack looks ripe for the runout.

Alcano 14-8, Souquet's break.

-djb
 
Rack 23

Souquet almost pockets the 9 on the snap, but doesn't. He did make two balls, but has a tough shot on the two, and tough position to the three. Success for those two shots, and the rack is open for Ralf.

Ralf clears it to go to 14-9 in favor of Alcano.

-djb
 
Rack 24

More of the usual off Alcano's break - he pocketed two balls on the break and finished on the 1 in the side.

He clears it and he's coasting to the finish line.

Alcano 15-9, Souquet's break.

-djb
 
Rack 25

Souquet has pocketed 2 balls, and again, has no shot on the 1 ball. Souquet attempts a kick safety, but scratches in the side.

The rack is not academic as the 8 and 9 are tied up and that problem needs to be solved. Alcano solves it by powering into the 8-9 off the 6, leaving himself jacked up over the 9 to pocket the 7. He drills it.

HE MISSED THE NINE!

Souquet cleans it up to keep Ronato off the hill.

Alcano 15-10 and breaking.

-djb
 
Rack 26

Alcano breaks, pockets the corner ball, and has a tester on the 1 ball. He banks it in the side, and leaves another tough shot on the 2. He pockets the tough 2, but snookers himself on the 4. So he just kicks it in.

This is a monster out, and Ronato gets to the hill, 16-10. Souquet breaks next.

-djb
 
Rack 27

Souquet breaks, and makes the 9 on the snap.

Alcano 16-11 and breaking.

-djb
 
Rack 28

Alcano breaks, pockets a ball, can see the 1, but it doesn't look like there's a pocket for it. He has a good chance for a safety.

He plays the safety, and Ralf is snookered. Ralf makes a fine shot and contacts the 1. Alcano plays safe again (although the crowd thought he missed the shot). Souquet could get lucky here, the 1-9 is lined up for a chance.

Souquet fouls.

Alcano has the 1-9 for the win.

Ronato Alcano has done it (17-11), and the crowd is going CRAZY!

-djb
 
DoomCue said:
Rack 28

Alcano breaks, pockets a ball, can see the 1, but it doesn't look like there's a pocket for it. He has a good chance for a safety.

He plays the safety, and Ralf is snookered. Ralf makes a fine shot and contacts the 1. Alcano plays safe again (although the crowd thought he missed the shot). Souquet could get lucky here, the 1-9 is lined up for a chance.

Souquet fouls.

Alcano has the 1-9 for the win.

Ronato Alcano has done it (17-11), and the crowd is going CRAZY!

-djb
Click to expand...
i missed it :( stupid thing decided to lose connection just as they were talkin about what would happen if the cue ball dropped in a pocket on ball in hand.
 
Souquet is taking it rough - I've never seen this emotion out of him.

He's such a consummate professional - he congratulated Alcano on his wonderful accomplishment, even feeling emotionally drained as he is.

-djb
 
DoomCue said:
Rack 15

Souquet may be able to get back into this. Souquet's got a ton of heart and he never gives up. He's down just one break of serve now - if he can protect his break, and capitalize on one of Alcano's, it's back to an even race.

Souquet breaks, pockets a ball, and has a tough shot on the 1. The rest of the rack looks wide open, but the trouble spots are pocketing the 1 and getting on the 2.

Ralf nails the one, but overruns shape on the two. He has a chance at the 2-4 in the side, or possibly a safety.

He chooses the safety, and finishes with a half-ball snooker.

Alcano makes the long back-cut on the two, and finishes dead on the three. Fantastic shot.

Alcano 10-5, and breaking.

-djb
Click to expand...

This was the shot of the tournament! The CB was near the rail while taking the long cut-shot. I can't imagine how he did it but the 2-ball sank to the right side the pocket. This was the final nail to the coffin for Ralf. What a shot!

My hats off to Ralf for playing a great tournament. He'll get his chances the next time...
 
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