By Ted Lerner/WPA Press Officer
Photo Courtesy Tai Chengzhe/Top147.com
(Shanghai, China)–In what was a brutally taxing and hard fought day of the very best in professional pool in Shanghai on Saturday, the 2012 China Open Men’s tournament has been whittled down to the final four. And fittingly, each and every one of the four participants in Sunday morning’s semi-finals earned their spot the hard way.
In the first semi-final which begins at 9:30am Shanghai time(GMT +8), the Philippines Dennis Orcollo will take on red hot Chang Yu Lung of Chinese-Taipei. In the second semi-final to follow, Chinese Taipei veteran Lui Hui Chan will go up against the 2011 World 9-ball Champion, Yukio Akakagariyama of Japan.
Each semi-final match will be a race to 11, alternate break. The finals will take place at 3:30pm later on Sunday.
The Philippines Orcollo put in a serious workmanlike day today against an onslaught of hard core Chinese pool talent. He first defeated China’s Fu Jianbo 11-4, then China’s Dang Jinhu, 11- 9. He then moved on to the quarterfinals where he beat China’s gutty Han Haoxiang 11-8, who fought all way to the end.
“All of my opponents today were very tough,” Orcollo said. “But I played good today. I have good concentration, my focus is good right now. This is a really big tournament because of all the good players here from all over the world. I just have to play my game and not think about winning, just concentrate and play one game at a time.”
The Philippine great certainly cannot afford to think too far ahead because he’s faced with perhaps the hottest player in the field in Chang Yu Lung. Chang has clearly been building up a head of steam this week and is looking very difficult to beat. He began the day by taking down two of his countrymen in succession, Chang Jung Lin, 11-8, and Fu Che Wei, 11-6. Against German great Ralf Souquet in the quarterfinals, Chang came back from a 4-0 deficit and streaked to the finish line to win 11-5.
Based on the way he’s playing this week in Shanghai, and past history, Chang could surely be considered the favourite among the final four. This year he’s already won one event in China, and a big international tournament in Dubai. And the 30 year old from Taipei won this very event in 2010.
Chang’s countryman Lu Hui Chan had an all around solid day as well. He first beat fellow Taiwanese Chen Ying Chieh 11-1. Lu then showed his mettle when he stopped hot shooting Greek Nick Eonomopoulos in his tracks, 11-6. Lu, a two-time former World Junior champion in 1998-99, went on to outpace China’s very tough Wang Can, 11-8.
Based on today’s performance, though, Lu will definitely have his hands full when he faces the Japanese former World Champion. Akakagariyama single handily blew the floor out from underneath the Brits today with some serious hard core 9-ball. In the round of 32 he came back from a 7-2 deficit to knockout defending champ Chris Melliing, 11-7. He then mowed down another Brit, England’s Karl Boyes, 11-3. In his quarterfinal match vs. the resurgent Yang Ching Shun of Taiwan, Akagariyama was down 10-8 and appeared to have run out of gas. But he found another store of energy and came back for a gut wrenching 11-10 win and a spot in the semi-finals.
The winner of the 2012 China Open will receive $40,000.
The first semi-final of Orcollo vs. Chang will begin at 9:30am Shanghai time(GMT +8). The Second semi-final will begin immediately after. The men’s final will begin at 3:30pm Shanghai Time.
The WPA will be providing live scoring of the men’s semi-finals and final on our website, www.wpapool.com.
*The World Pool and Billiard Association(WPA) is the governing body of the sport of pocket billiards.The 2012 China Open is being sponsored by Star Tables, Andy Cloth, Fury, Holiday Inn Shanghai Pudong.
Men’s Semi-Finals
Dennis Orcullo(PHL) vs Chang Yu Lung(TPE) 9:30am(GMT +8)
Lu Hui Chan(TPE) vs. Yukio Akagariyama(JPN)
Men’s Quarterfinal
Dennis Orcullo(PHL) 11- 8 Han Haoxiang(CHN)
Chang Yu Lung(TPE) 11 – 5 Ralf Souquet(GER)
Yukio Akakagariyama(JPN) 11 – 10 Yang Ching Shun(TPE)
Lu Hui Chan(TPE) 11 – 8 Wang Can(CHN)
Men’s Round of 16
Han Haoxiang(CHN) 11 – 7 Daryl Peach(GBR)
Dennis Orcollo(PHL) 11 – 9 Dang Jinhu(CHN)
Chang Yu-Lung(TPE) 11 – 6 Fu Che-Wei(TPE)
Ralf Souquet(GER) 11 – 6 Lee Vann Corteza(PHL)
Yukio Akagariyama(JPN) 11 – 3 Karl Boyes(GBR)
Yang Ching Shun(TPE) 11 – 7 Thorsten Hohmann(GER)
Wang Can(CHN) 11 -10 Lee Wan Su(KOR)
Lu Hui Chan(TPE) 11 – 6 Nick Eonomopoulos(GRE)
Men’s Round of 32
Daryl Peach(GBR) 11 – 4 Jason Klatt(CAN)
Han Haoxiang(CHN) 11 – 10 Alex Pagulayan(CAN)
Dang Jinhu(CHN) 11 – 10 Nguyen Anh Tuan(VIE)
Dennis Orcollo(PHI) 11 – 4 Fu Jianbo(CHN)
Chang Yu-Lung(TPE) 11 – 8 Chang Jung Lin(TPE)
Fu Che-Wei(TPE) 11 – 5 Zhou Long(CHN)
Ralf Souquet(GER) 11 – 5 Liu Cheng-Chieh(TPE)
Lee Vann Corteza(PHL) 11 – 6 Nick Malai(ALB)
Yukio Akagariyama(JPN) 11 – 7 Chris Melling(GBR)
Karl Boyes(GBR) Kenny Kwok(HKG)
Thorsten Hohmann(GER) 11 – 7 Li Hewen(CHN)
Yang Ching Shu(TPE) 11 – 8 Waleed Majeed(IRQ)
Wang Can(CHN) 11 – 6 Ko Pin Yi(TPE)
Lee Wan Su(KOR) 11 – 6 Liu Wei(CHN)
Lu Hui Chan(TPE) 11 – 1 Chen Ying Chieh(TPE)
Nick Eonomopoulos(GRE) 11 – 8 Oscar Dominguez(USA)
