WPBA - Has Kelly Fisher Joined the Battle for #1?

sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
For six years, the race for #1 on the WPBA has been a two horse race. In my opinion, it could never have been argued at any point in those six years that the fight for #1 had been joined by anybody else. Fisher and Corr generally enjoyed a few hundred point lead over everybody else on the WPBA tour.

For the first time in six years, I'm giving serious though to whether the battle for #1 has be joined by Kelly Fisher, and I base my entire argument on the results of WPBA events so far this year. Oddly enough, two time defending World Champion Ga Young Kim has yet to face any of the current Top 3, so for now she gets a grade of incomplete:

Here's how it sizes up in 2006 head-to-head competition between Allison, Karen and Kelly.

Event 1: Carolina
Allison was beaten by Kelly. Karen beat Kelly. Allison did not face Karen.

Event 2: Michigan City
Allison beat Karen. Neither faced Kelly.

Event 3: San Diego
Kelly beat both Allison and Karen. Allison did not face Karen.

Head to Head Against Other Members of the Current Top 3, Year to Date

Kelly Fisher 3 - 1
Karen Corr 1 - 2
Allison Fisher 1 - 2

Has the battle for the #1 ranking been joined? What do you think? Has Kelly Fisher become a truly seasoned nineball player with a chance to reach #1? It's a question worth considering.
 
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Kelly joined the battle for number one the first tournament she played in where she drew Allison in the first round and had her down 8:1. How many players in the world can even make the claim of ever being 3 games ahead of Allison much less 7? To Allie's credit she came back and won that match and the tournament.

It is my opinion that Kelly has the very best game among the women today. She takes shots that other players avoid. She is so very fluid and can play off-angle patterns like they are all stop shots.

And - she is still learning! She picks up shots and techniques like a sponge. I have rarely seen a player be able to execute new things so quickly and easily. Show her something and it's part of her arsenal in minutes.

Every player has highlights in their career. Although I feel Kelly should have won more tournaments by now I am quite happy that she was able to defend her first title.

I think it will take a while for Kelly to catch Allison and Karen in the points race but in a year the number one spot will be hotly contested.

I am also impressed by the overall level of play among the WPBA players. It seems as though everyone's game has improved by a couple balls. I think the rankings are going to undergo a lot of change over the next year.

John
 
This is off topic, but I told Kelly this and I really want to say it here: I love her new hairdo so much. It looks so awesome!!!

Sorry...please get back to the discussion...

Richard
 
After reading this question I started to think about women's pool in general. Is women's pool ahead of other sports as far as there is a interest in it? Are there any other sports where the men show any interest in what the ladies are doing?

I don't follow golf, tennis, bowling and etc but I could name some men that are at the top but don't know any of the top women in those sports. Couldn't name any WNBA or current ladies soccer players except for Mia Hamm and don't know if she is still playing; but with pool I can recognize the names and faces of all the top women.
 
TheBook said:
After reading this question I started to think about women's pool in general. Is women's pool ahead of other sports as far as there is a interest in it? Are there any other sports where the men show any interest in what the ladies are doing?

I don't follow golf, tennis, bowling and etc but I could name some men that are at the top but don't know any of the top women in those sports. Couldn't name any WNBA or current ladies soccer players except for Mia Hamm and don't know if she is still playing; but with pool I can recognize the names and faces of all the top women.
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That is interesting.

What about figure skating? I do not know any famous men figure skater but I know a few women. Is that just me or are female skaters more famous in general?

With Golf, I think men is more well known than women, same as tennis.

For a non pool players, the Black Widow may be the only recognized name in this sport.

Richard
 
Richard is in the Brokeback penalty box

OK Richard,

It's official...your in the penalty box.;)

Nick

nipponbilliards said:
This is off topic, but I told Kelly this and I really want to say it here: I love her new hairdo so much. It looks so awesome!!!

Sorry...please get back to the discussion...

Richard
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onepocketchump said:
Kelly joined the battle for number one the first tournament she played in where she drew Allison in the first round and had her down 8:1. How many players in the world can even make the claim of ever being 3 games ahead of Allison much less 7? To Allie's credit she came back and won that match and the tournament.

It is my opinion that Kelly has the very best game among the women today. She takes shots that other players avoid. She is so very fluid and can play off-angle patterns like they are all stop shots.

And - she is still learning! She picks up shots and techniques like a sponge. I have rarely seen a player be able to execute new things so quickly and easily. Show her something and it's part of her arsenal in minutes.

Every player has highlights in their career. Although I feel Kelly should have won more tournaments by now I am quite happy that she was able to defend her first title.

I think it will take a while for Kelly to catch Allison and Karen in the points race but in a year the number one spot will be hotly contested.

I am also impressed by the overall level of play among the WPBA players. It seems as though everyone's game has improved by a couple balls. I think the rankings are going to undergo a lot of change over the next year.

John
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Nice post, John.

For these reasons and many more, I look forward to watching Kelly play at the BCA Open. To this point, I've only watched one match of hers, a loss to Kim Shaw in Peoria in which Kelly clearly didn't have her best stuff. Hoping to catch her at her best in Vegas!
 
I have thought so since I first saw her play, in a SEAL event about 2 years ago. To me she seems to have some of the best qualities of Allison and Karen but she is also fearless. Karen has always seemed a little hesitant in her game, esp on tough shots. I think Vivian & GY Kim have that fearless quality as well but it often crosses over into carelessness. With Kelly she just exudes confidence and she is smart.
I played her a few months ago in a tournament in Raleigh and she just made it all look so easy. She will go all the way on this tour, I have no doubt and she will also be one of the top female contenders on the IPT.
 
I have to agree with John. Kelly joined the battle for #1 right from the beginning. She is already in the top 3 on the WPBA and is continuing to improve. She could very well reach the number 1 ranking very quickly. The thing that impresses me is her fearless attitude. She isn't in awe of anyone. She just plays her game, and it happens to be an awsome game.
Steve
 
Kelly knows she has a to bring it in the upcoming BCA Tournament. In addition to being one of the few undseeded players to ever win a WPBA tournament last year she also went two and out in the BCA tournament immediately thereafter. I think that was her wake up call that pool pros have to be able to play under a variety of conditions including tables that don't react as they "should".

I have an expectation that Kelly will be extremely focused in Vegas.

John
 
As it stands right now Allison has 1530 points; Karen 1230; Kelly 955; Monica 875; Ga Young 850; Vivian 835.

In the next two matches Kelly will be dropping 100 and 200 points. Now she will feel the pressure that Allison and Karen face every time they play.

Jake
 
One thing is for certain, women's pool is going to get very interesting in the near future.
Obviously, Allison and Karen aren't going anywhere. Kelly is certainly coming on strong and Ga Young is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
I'm sure Jeanette will also join the mix, as she comes back from her latest back surgery. You also have Monica and Tiffany, who are both on the verge of breaking through to become tournament winners. You can never underestimate Vivian, Helena and Gerda. In addition, you have Jennifer B., Melissa H., Sarah E. and a host of others working very hard to get to the top.
I look forward to the near future, when any of a dozen women can end up in the winners circle of any tournament. It will make it very exciting for those of us who follow the WPBA.
 
I said it back in April 2005..

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=11734 (third post down)

Kelly Fisher is the most talented woman ever to pick up a cue. Period. She was well known in the UK five, six years ago when she was unbeatable at snooker. I think 9-ball has just been too easy for her and perhaps she wasn't really focused when she first came here.

I bet that after getting used to the game, she could run a 100 at Straight.
 
Any lady who gets a tattoo has joined the battle for number one. Oops any woman who has a tatto and can play has more spunk than the rest.
 
hobokenapa said:
Kelly Fisher is the most talented woman ever to pick up a cue. Period. She was well known in the UK five, six years ago when she was unbeatable at snooker. .
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Not to diminish her ability, because it is great and will become greater. But, Kelly Fisher was the dominant snooker female five or six years ago because Karen Corr and Allison Fisher had all but quit playing snooker (though Karen went back to play the World's)

Fred
 
Cornerman said:
Not to diminish her ability, because it is great and will become greater. But, Kelly Fisher was the dominant snooker female five or six years ago because Karen Corr and Allison Fisher had all but quit playing snooker (though Karen went back to play the World's)

Fred
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In '97, '98, and '99 Kelly faced Karen in the finals.....Kelly defeated Karen all but one time. Can't see where the Fishers ever met up on the snooker table.

Landshark77<~~~doesn't follow snooker
 
Another good post sjm, and it definitely had me thinking. If anyone is going to make the race for #1 a three horse battle it is either going to be Kelly Fisher or Ga-Young Kim IMO. With a little more consistency and perhaps some more experience either one of these players could give Allison and Karen more than they can handle. Kelly hasn't been playing nine ball nearly as long as Karen or Allison so her knowledge of the game (patterns, postion play, etc) is probably a small notch below Allison and Karen.

I think we will have a much better idea about what to expect from Kelly Fisher after the upcoming BCA Open, will she make an early exit or will we be looking forward to watching her play on ESPN again? We can't know for sure and it is this inconsitency in her game that really makes her such an enigma. I hope that Kelly (or GYK) can make the race for #1 a three way battle because I'm sure alot of fans, myself included, was sick and tired of watching Allison and Karen duke it out for top spot a long time ago.
 
landshark77 said:
In '97, '98, and '99 Kelly faced Karen in the finals.....Kelly defeated Karen all but one time. Can't see where the Fishers ever met up on the snooker table.

Landshark77<~~~doesn't follow snooker
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That's right, M.

Corr won the World's in 1997, then moved to the U.S. in 1998 (after she lost to Kelly in the 1998 World's, I believe).

Corr went back to the UK to play just the World's for a few years, but she no longer was playing snooker as she committed herself to pool.

Allison all but quit playing snooker.

Fred
 
What about the change in format?

I haven't had the opportunity to watch Kelly Fisher play except for a minimal glimpse of one of her televised matches.

While I do not challenge her ability, might some of her recent success in climbing the ramks be attributed to the fact that WPBA events are now single elimination once 16 players remain?

One could argue that her playing ability has gotten her through to this point but it can also be argued that in a single race anything can happen.

For example, Karen, Allison or Kelly could lose their 1st single elimination match and drop valuable ranking points while the others would get a majot jump in points.

Just a thought.
 
Vahe said:
I haven't had the opportunity to watch Kelly Fisher play except for a minimal glimpse of one of her televised matches.

While I do not challenge her ability, might some of her recent success in climbing the ramks be attributed to the fact that WPBA events are now single elimination once 16 players remain?

One could argue that her playing ability has gotten her through to this point but it can also be argued that in a single race anything can happen.

For example, Karen, Allison or Kelly could lose their 1st single elimination match and drop valuable ranking points while the others would get a majot jump in points.

Just a thought.
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I will just say that I was in San Diego last year for the tourney and, while she started slow in her first match, and had some low points/lucky wins a couple of times, in the last two matches she played as close to flawless as I have seen.
 
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