First-Round Matches Continue at the U.S. Open

First-Round Matches Continue at the U.S. OpenBy InsidePOOL StaffThe first-round matches continue at the 29th Annual U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships in Chesapeake, VA. Today’s afternoon matches saw on the featured table John Binion of Michigan face off with former Camel Tour player Paul Potier of Canada. Potier took the lead from the gate with his cautious, defensive game and took the hill 10-4. Binion had a chance in the last rack but scratched on the 6, giving ball in hand and the match to Potier.
In the longest match of the afternoon session, another Canadian, Eddie Galati, matched up with 1998 runner-up Tang Hoa. Hoa has been absent from the pool scene for a couple of years but has recently made his reappearance. He and Galati fought all the way to hill-hill in the race to 11, grudging every ball the other made. Hoa broke and tried to play safe on the 2 but left his opponent a shot. Galati speared the 2 but left himself on the rail for the 3 ball and missed. Playing the 3 off the 5 in the corner, Hoa hung the offending red ball; however, Galati got too straight on the 5 ball and played safe on the 6. Hoa tried to send the cue and the 6 to opposite rails but left the 6 a few inches off. Attempting a 6-9 carom, Galati banked the 6 back into the corner pocket and ran the remaining two balls out to win 11-10.Former champion Tommy “TK” Kennedy matched up with relative unknown player Joseph Arbuckle. In this closely fought match, it was touch and go to the very end. With his opponent on the hill 10-9, Kennedy started off a safety battle with the 6 ball but ultimately missed a bank shot on it and handed over the match 11-9, headed for the one-loss side.Tonight’s featured match will be between Larry Nevel and John Schmidt. Also up are Thorsten Hohmann versus Robb Saez, Alex Pagulayan versus Ike Runnels, Shannon Daulton versus Kevin West, Francisco Bustamante versus Edgar Acaba, Rodolfo Luat versus Chris Bartram, Jeremy Jones versus Chris Loar, Danny Basavich versus Richie Richeson, Shawn Putnam versus John Macias, and Jimmy Reid versus Troy Frank.Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news in the sport of billiards and pool.

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