Carlo Biado won the Medalla Light Puerto Rico Open, beating Daniel Maciol 4-1, 4-3 in front of the San Juan crowd after Wei Tzu-Chien had defeated Chezka Centeno 4-2, 4-0 to lift the Women’s Open trophy.
It is Biado’s first Predator Pro Billiard Series title, while the $13,000 Maciol collects for finishing runner-up represents the biggest payout of the young Pole’s career to date. Both Biado and Wei had previously lost Pro Billiard Series finals but both now have Champion trophies to sit alongside their silver medals.
“Finally I made it because before I lost in a final against Fedor Gorst,” said Biado in reference to his defeat in Arizona last year.
After sharing the first two racks of the opening set, Biado quickly took it 4-1. The second was far less comfortable for the Filipino, as Maciol tried to force the shootout.
A large crowd had gathered for both the Open and the Women’s final, and they were treated to a close finish. Biado had the opening break of the set but only took down the first rack when Maciol missed a soft-rolled 3. The Pole tied the set after Biado wasn’t able to kick the 6, but the Filipino cleared to regain his lead after his 23-year-old opponent broke dry.
Maciol wasn’t done yet and was level again in the set at 2-2, before Biado moved to the hill 3-2 up after again running out when Maciol’s dry break left an open table. It was then Biado who didn’t make a ball on the break and Maciol who took advantage to find himself breaking at hill-hill in a rack he needed to win to deny Biado the title.
However, another dry break brought the 2017 World 9-Ball Champion back to the table and Biado showed his class as he completed a difficult out to earn his first Pro Billiard Series title.
Biado’s $25,000 success followed Wei’s win in the Women’s division, which earned her $20,000 and ensured she wouldn’t suffer a second Predator Pro Billiard Series final defeat after losing out to Kelly Fisher in Michigan in September.
A 4-1, 4-2 victory against Chou Cheih-Yu – a repeat of the World Women’s 10-Ball final from September – set Wei up with a final against Centeno, whose 3-4, 4-2, 3-2 semi-final shootout win against Jasmin Ouschan took just a shade over an hour to complete.
Wei had lost that World 10-Ball find to Chou and a few weeks later suffered defeat to Fisher on the Pro Billiard Series in Michigan and the 32-year-old was determined to ensure she left with the trophy in her third final in as many months.
After taking the first set 4-2, she stamped down her authority in the second. She won a safety-strewn first rack from Centeno’s break and made it 2-0 when the Filipino, one of the quickest players in the game, left a straight 4. That lead was extended further in the third rack with a clutch 10-ball. Centeno had it all to do as Wei came up dry at 3-0. She took out a 1/9 but then missed the 2. She had another chance soon after but poor position to the 4 was her final error of the championship match.
Wei completed the rack to take the second set 4-0 and after collecting $20,000 said: “I was sitting there and I was thinking, I have been here twice, and I’m going to get it, it;’s not going to be three-times second. I played better than how I expected and really enjoyed the atmosphere here.”
The Predator Pro Billiard Series returns in 2023. The Predator World Juniors 9-Ball Championship plays November 18-21 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, the host venue of the Predator World 8-Ball Championship which runs November 19-22.
Matches from the Predator World 8-Ball Championship will be streamed from Table 1 on Billiard TV, the World Billiard TV YouTube channel and at Kozoom.com. Table 2 has full coverage and commentary on the Predator Pro Billiard Series Facebook Page. All tables, including matches from the Predator World Juniors 9-Ball Championships, can be watch live for FREE at Kozoom.com
Brackets and scores can be found at www.probilliardseries.com
Follow @probilliardseries on Facebook, @probilliardseries on Instagram or @PBilliardSeries on Twitter.
