Month: December 2010

Mosconi Cup 2010 final day – team Europe brought it home again

To make it short, the final day of the Mosconi Cup was absolutely amazing and unique.

First match of the day is beginning with the match up between Mika Immonen and Rodney Morris. Mika very smoothly, no compromises, reaches the hill with 5:1 score. In the last rack of this match there is some hesitation but with a bit of luck he gets this frame also and closes the match with the 6:1 score. This puts Europe further ahead with a 9:6 score.

In the next match meets Karl Boyes, who is the debutant but last player at this tournament without a loss, with one of the most experienced players of this Mosconi Cup – Johnny Archer. Archer starts with a very strong game without mistakes, and soon finds himself leading 4:0. Soon he is on the hill with a 5:1 score but Boyes fights back with aggressive game and accompanied by some unforced mistakes from Archer the match develops to a hill – hill situation. Archer breaks the last rack of the last match and he makes sure not to make any more mistakes to win this match with a 6:5 result. Americans decrease the Europe’s lead to 9:7.

Next match on the program is between Nick van den Berg and Dennis Hatch. Some mistakes and two scratches on the break cause Nick to be trailing quite quickly with a 4-0 score. Hatch returns the favors, both for mistakes and two scratches on the break and Nick finds himself on the hill with a 5:4 score. Next game is won by Hatch for yet another hill – hill situation. Last game of the match both players swap a few times, both make some unexpected mistakes and at the end it all works out for Hatch to win the match 6:5. America is getting closer to Europe on the scoreboard with a one point deficit at 9:8.

Next match brings to the table Darren Appleton against Shane Van Boening. This is a very important match as there is a massive difference between the scores 10:8 and 9:9. Both players show their best and there is not a missed ball until the score reads 4:2 for Appleton. One mistake by Shane Van Boening and Darren Appleton takes the match to a final score 6:2. Europe is now on the hill with a 10:8 score.

Next is the match up between Ralf Souquet and Corey Deuel. The score is developing more evenly in this match and several brilliant safety battles have been seen. At the end Ralf Souquet wins this match with score 6:4.

The MVP was awarded to Darren Appleton – CONGRATULATION!

Europe has gained this year’s MOSCONI CUP with an 11:8 score. Crowd was unbelievable and few hours now after the 2010 Mosconi Cup is over, I can still hear the tunes containing the player’s names in my head. It was an unforgettable experience and I would like to thank both teams and everybody involved, all the fans, for the unique atmosphere that was at the York Hall in London this weekend.

CONGRATULATION!!!!!!

Article: Marketa Mlejnkova
Photos: Markus Hofstätter

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Mosconi Cup day 3 – Europe in emotion

Day three was the longest day so far, starting at 2 pm with afternoon session and at 7pm with an evening session.

As the Mosconi Cup was running behind the schedule after the first two days, the matches were reduced to a race to five instead of six.

First match of the day was doubles battle between Europe’s Mika Immonen and Karl Boyes and Americans Dennis Hatch and Johnny Archer. Europe is off to a good start with a 3:0 lead, the next game is taken by Americans as Karl Boyes scratches on the break. This is however the last point that Americans do and Europe wins this match with a 5:1 score. The overall score is once again leveled at 4:4.

Second match is doubles again, this time is Mika Immonen teaming up with Ralf Souquet against Corey Deuel. Crowd saw couple of lucky shots this match and the Americans take this match with a 5:2 win. Overall, the Americans regained their one point advantage at 5:4.

Next match is a single battle between the debuting Karl Boyes and Rodney Morris. Match is going evenly, until Rodney Morris gets a tougher position on the nine and fails to pot it. This brings the score to 4:2 instead of 3:3. Karl Boyes breaks and runs the last rack for a 5:2 victory. Once again the overall score is leveled at 5:5.

Evening session starts with another doubles match of this Mosconi Cup, between Darren Appleton and Nick van den Berg against Shane Van Boening and Dennis Hatch. Comfortable lead of the Europeans 4:1 changes into a nervous 4:4 quite quickly. Some tough shots require execution by the Americans in the last match which they accomplish to close the match with a 5:4 score. Overall score is bringing the Americans one point ahead again.

Next match on the program is the doubles match of this Mosconi Cup. Once again, the Europe reaches the hill first at 4:1. But again Americans fight back to bring this match to hill hill again. It is breaking time for Ralf Souquet and this time the Europeans do not let the Americans back to table and close the match with a 5:4 score. Once again the one point lead is erased and the overall score reads 6:6.

Next match is singles battle between Dennis Hatch and Darren Appleton. Couple of unforced mistakes rattled Darren Appleton and it must have been very tough to find himself trailing on the home turf 1:4. Time out seemed to have done the trick and Darren finds his focus again and with a great support from the crowd brings the score to hill hill. Dennis Hatch is on the break which works out pretty well and seems like a routine run out. Many people probably held their breath in the arena, whilst the white ball was running into position for eight ball but would not stop rolling and just got hidden behind the nine. Dennis Hatch was forced to try to swerve around the nine to pot the eight, but misses the shot and leaves a tough eight for Darren. He executes the shot perfectly, gets on the nine and snatches the victory 5:4. This was probably the most exciting match of the day and it took the Europe to a first time lead at this Mosconi cup with a score 7:6.

For the last match of the day is also the last doubles match of this Mosconi Cup between Mika Immonen and Nick van den Berg against Shane Van Boening and Corey Deuel. Europe is once again leading 4:1, but this time does not let the match to go to hill hill and closes the match at 5:1.

Europe will be sleeping better today, with an 8:6 lead.

Day by day, the crowd in the York Hall gets bigger and louder. Atmosphere is unbelievable and some opinions have been heard that this is the best Mosconi Cup so far. And the best is yet to come tomorrow…..

Article: Marketa Mlejnkova
Photos: Markus Hofstätter

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Mosconi Cup Day 2 – Europe strikes back

Second day of the Mosconi Cup was started without any delays, and the crowd showed up bigger and louder.

First match of the day was doubles between Shane Van Boening with Johnny Archer against Darren Appleton and Karl Boys. The crowd was boiling, as the two players on the home turf took the lead 3:0. USA came back to 3:3. Through some very exciting moments the Europeans got to a hill with 5:3 score. Last rack with Karl Boys breaking seemed like a closure to the match, but a short position on the nine brings last chances for the USA, after some efforts at difficult nines Darren Appleton pots the nine in with a long bank shot. Crowd goes crazy and the Europe levels the score to 2:2.

Next match saw the two most experienced Mosconi Cup players of both teams matching up – Ralf Souquet against Johnny Archer. Uneven start brought a comfortable 4:0 lead to Johnny Archer. Ralf found his game though and turned the match around to his advantage with a 5:4 lead. Next break was Ralf’s but he can’t put closure to this match as he scratches on the break. Johnny levels to 5:5, next match both players get into the game but Johnny Archer is the one to take it to win the match 6:5, thus putting USA one point ahead with a score 3:2 over Europe,

For the third match of the day are prepared doubles, teaming up Ralf Souquet and Darren Appleton against Rodney Morris and Corey Deuel. Crowd is getting louder and louder with each match and there are some warnings sent out by the referees…. Americans take the first lead 2:0, but soon there is leveled score of 3:3. Next development of the match takes the score to 5:5. Last frame is advantage to a European team as they break and make a smooth run out to take the win and level the total score once again to 3:3.

Final match of the day was the singles match again, this time putting against each other Nick van den Berg and Shane Van Boening. This was the most exciting match of the day, with some brilliant outs and interesting twists. Match was close all the way and only the last rack decided the hill hill match in Shane Van Boening’s advantage.

So today the score is leveled for both teams, which is bringing USA back to the tables tomorrow with a one point lead again, at 4:3.

Article: Marketa Mlejnkova
Photos: Markus Hofstätter

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Mosconi Cup first day to the advantage of USA

The long awaited first session of the Mosconi Cup has been played today.

Surely the Europe`s advantage in fan base was well heard throughout the crowd…. The venue was nearly sold out, only few seats remained empty.

Tournament started by a match with all members of both teams, one taking a turn after another’s each shot. Somewhat nervous start has been witnessed, and it seems most players were out of rythm… Europe took 2:0 lead, maintained their lead until 4:2 but then USA was the first one on the hill at 5:4. It seems like the USA will take the first point away from Europe, until Dennis Hatch overdrawn a cueball behind the nine, and a kick at the 8ball was necessary. The kick did not result in safety and Europe snatched this game to bring the match to hill – hill. Last game is taken by Europe, thus marking a first point on their scoresheet.

For the second match, the doubles, were selected Dennis Hatch with Rodney Morriss for the USA team and Van Den Berg and Ralf Souquet for Europe. Europe was having a hard time until trailing 0:5 behind USA, but then came back to 4:5. Next game USA made a closure to this match with a 6:4 win.

Now leveled at 1:1, first match of singles came into play with Mika Immonen representing Europe and Corey Deuel representing USA. Match started well for Mika as he gained a 3:0 lead. Corey answers with a come back to 3:3. Next game is taken by Mika. Corey takes the next two games to be on the hill. Last game Corey plays a very good safe on two ball, Mika opts to play intentional faul and hooks the three ball with the eight. Corey takes ball in hand and pots a very tough two nine combination for a 6:4

USA will have slightly lighter sleep tonight with 2:1 lead… But the pressure is on and the crowd will be heard……

Interviews will follow today

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