Saturday, June 18th, 2022 – Going into the final day of competition for the World Cup Of Pool, hosted by Matchroom Multisport, we have Singapore vs USA and Chinese Taipei vs Spain.
These matches are going to be close I believe, as all these teams have performed well throughout the event, and having watched a bit, I must say that you can almost flip a coin to decide who will be in the finals – and on either side of the semi finals too.
All that said, having followed many of these players for quite a few years now – we have premier players for the semifinals and finals tomorrow, the final day of the event. You have Mosconi Cup legends like David Alcaide of Spain from team Europe, and then SVB (Shane Van Boening) and Woodward from team USA – all veterans of the most electric atmosphere the game has ever produced. And also, Alcaide's partner Francisco Sanchez Ruiz just fell a little short of the UK Open title, losing in the finals to Filler.
Let's rewind a bit though before I make my final predictions:
What a premier year for the pool world: we've seen Jayson Shaw make what everyone initially thought was a 714 ball run, then it got downgraded to a 669 ball run, but he broke the straight pool high run world record nonetheless, and kudos again for that exhibition of 14.1 prowess. Additionally, Shaw won the Diamond Open Pro Players Championship at the Super Billiards Expo 2022!
Then, we had Shane Van Boening take the World 9 Ball Pool Championship, which was a first for him, and a monumental exclamation point to highlight a stellar billiards career.
After that, Filler won the Inaugural UK Open, showing himself as a seasoned professional at just 23 years old. Incredible showing. Amazing talent. We will see Filler for years to come hopefully. Excellent example for anyone that seeks the highest level of play, perfect form, puts on a 9 ball clinic, breaking and running out like an Isaac Asimov robot programmed to play perfect pool.
But defending champions Germany, Filler and his partner, are out of the race this year, as Netherlands knocked them out 7-4 in the second round, and really the Netherlands played a great event, but unfortunately fell 9-8 to Chinese Taipei in the quarter finals, as Niels Feijen, and Marc Bijsterbosch fell to the great safety play – as Ko Pin Yi, and brother Ko Ping Chung of Chinese Taipei fought like billiards gladiators – Grappling for that final rack at 8-8, both teams then on the precipice of elimination.
Tallahassee Squirrel Final Predictions For Tomorrow
So, we have Spain vs Chinese Taipei and USA vs Singapore for the semi finals – and that's 3 of the four teams I picked to possibly win the whole shebang the day before the event began?!! (I take a pause momentarily to pat myself on the back – well done Squirrel.)
Tough ones to call whom the winner will ultimately be and who will fall just short of the title?
Tough.
So…
Hmmmmm…
Ummmmm…
I go with USA and Chinese Taipei to pull out their respective matches, and USA to win it all. All that said, any one of these teams could be the champion – and at this point, I think it's really a matter of who comes with the shots, and who chokes. Fingers crossed for SVB and Woodward.
What an event thus far! Pool is alive!