Tony Tames the Lion at the World Pool Masters

Tony Tames the Lion at the World Pool Masters First Round ResultsTony Drago (Mal) 8 - 3 Alex Pagulyan (Can)Nick van den Berg (Hol) 8 - 6 Francisco Bustamante (Phi)Quarterfinal ResultsAlex Lely (Hol) 8 - 7 Mika Immonen (Fin)Tony Tames the Lion Maltese potter Tony Drago gained revenge for his semifinal defeat at this year's World Pool Championship as he stormed through the racks to dump Alex Pagulayan out of the 2003 empirepoker.com World Pool Masters at the Hotel Zuiderduin this evening.Drago looked confident as he strode into the arena, and with every seat in the arena sold, the atmosphere was explosive.Pagulayan won the lag and made a ball on the break, but with no shot available on the 1 ball, he elected to play safe. However, he left the cue ball a little short, and Drago was able to make the pot and clear the table to take the initiative.Drago had no shot after the break though, and Pagulayan fluked a 6 ball to set up a clearance to equalise the scores. However, Drago was able to capitalise after a safety exchange to regain the lead, and after making four balls on the break, he certainly looked favourite to increase it further.
He missed a long cut down the rail on the 1 ball though, and the 25-year-old from Toronto dished up to make the score 2 - 2.The fifth rack was to be Pagulayan's final success, as Drago scratched after playing an exquisite cannon to hand him cue ball in hand. From then on it was strictly one way traffic as Drago romped home playing perfect lightening fast pool. The sixth rack went to Drago, who ran out after a safety exchange that he got the better of and a break-and-run in the next put the popular Maltese into the lead at 4 - 3.A quick 1 / 9 combo sealed the next rack to put some distance between himself and Pagulayan at 5 - 3, and the next three racks went in a matter of minutes to give Drago a spot in tomorrow afternoon's quarterfinal matches.A delighted Drago was relishing the opportunity to perform in such a high profile arena. "If you don't enjoy playing in front of this crowd,then there's no point in playing the game."I was amazed at how well I was breaking today, and when you break good, it really helps in this game."It was nothing personal because it's Alex, but it wasn't easy playing him after losing to him in Cardiff. Revenge is not the type of word I would use, but it's good to win any match."It's not my fault I'm not boring but if I play well, I know it will be entertaining for the crowd!"Van den Berg Bests BustaNick Van den Berg produced a superb display this evening in the 2003 empirepoker.com World Pool Masters as he overcame the might of Francisco Bustamante by 8 - 6 to send the packed Orange Army into a frenzy.With Alex Lely the sole Dutch first round winner, it was a tough proposition for the young Mosconi Cup star to add to the home representation in the quarterfinals. He was well supported though with a battery of friends and family cheering him on from the stands.The hotel venue was standing room only as the players entered the fray, and they shared the early racks, which was to be a pattern throughout the match.Play was tight as each player sensed that a single mistake could be potentially fatal, and as the racks passed no player got more than one ahead.In the tenth, referee Nigel Rees called a very tight foul as Bustamante nudged the 6 ball a fraction before the red 3. It was close, but TV replays proved Rees right. From there, Van den Berg ran out to level it at 5 - 5.He came up dry on the break in the next, and Bustamante took full advantage to take the lead again, but his luck turned in the next as he let the Amsterdam-based Nick in to level it up at 6 - 6. Van den Berg made a ball on his next break and then potted a very tough 1 ball to set up a rack-winning clearance and put him on the hill. He held his nerve to break and run out in the final rack to set up an enticing quarter-final meeting against Tony Drago.Afterwards, Van den Berg was asked why he talked to the crowd between racks. He said, "I was nervous and talking to my friends between racks really gave me confidence. They were telling me what to do and what shots to play."It was a really tight match and I was determined to make sure that whenever he gave me a chance I made the most of it."Bustamante was short and to the point. "I played very bad. I missed a lot of balls and gave Nick too many chances."Ice Cold Alex Wins ThroughThere will be at least one home country hero in the Sunday night's World Pool Masters semifinals as the Plague from the Hague, Alex Lely, put on a marvellous comeback performance to oust 2001 World Pool Champion Mika Immonen at the quarterfinal stage.It was a sensational performance, as Lely managed to overturn a 7 - 4 deficit under very testing circumstances, much to the delight of the passionate Dutch massive.There was much drama in the closing stages as both players had chances to end it, but in the end it was Lely who took the tie as he completed a tough four ball clearance in the final rack.Lely took the opening game after the Finn had scratched on the break,but Mika took the next to level it. He then put down three balls on the break and ran out to go into the lead and the New York-based Immonen further increased his lead to 3 - 1 with another good clearance.Things looked bleak for Lely in the fifth game as Immonen made four balls from the off and dished to go 4 - 1 ahead. Mika took the next before he fell short on the 2 ball to give Alex a chance, and he duly obliged to get to 5 - 2.There was further success in the next as Lely managed to clear after a lengthy safety exchange on the 2 ball and in the next he broke and ran from the break to make it 5 - 4 and give his fans real hope.The next was a drawn out affair as both players visited the table several times in attempt to resolve it but in the end it was Immonen who took the 9 ball to go to 6 - 4. He took the next, leaving Lely with a mountain to climb.Luckily for Lely, Immonen scratched on his break shot and a clearance from Lely put the score at 7 - 5 and a break and run in the next made it 7 - 6.The next rack was the game's most exciting as the 9 ball went hanging early on and both players attempted combos to take it. In the end, Lely ducked the opportunity and chose to make a nerveless run out to send the match hill hill.Three balls on the break and a superb clearance sealed Immonen's fate as the big Lely crowd went wild.Lely was delighted as he spoke to RTL5. "Although my start wasn't very good, I kept my concentration and I had a good break throughout. My strength is to always keep fighting and to come back when I'm behind and this great crowd helped me to do that.' Play continues tomorrow with three more quarter final matches. Visit InsidePOOL for the latest in the sport of billiards and pool.

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