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The China Open
Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium
655 Yuanshen Road
Pudong New Area
Shanghai
China
www.my147.com
www.top147.com - Brackets: Men / Women - Results: Men / Women
www.wpa-pool.com
Extras:: Live stream - Live scoring - Forum chat

Thursday-Sunday 13-16 September 2012

Photo courtesy of �Tai Chengzhe/Top147.com.

ORCOLLO, CHANG, AKAKAGARIYAMA, LU MAKE THEIR MARK
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.�

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The Philippine star 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.

FISHER AND ZHOU GO FOR CHINA OPEN CROWN

Photo courtesy of �Tai Chengzhe/Top147.com.

IT'S BRITAIN VS CHINA AFTER NIGHT OF THRILLERS IN SHANGHAI
After a night of high drama, Britain�s Kelly Fisher and China�s Zhou Doudou emerged victorious by the absolute slimmest of margins and will now face each other in the finals of the 2012 China Open in Shanghai on Sunday.

Both alternate break, race to 9 semi-final matches went right to cliff, with each being decided by one dramatic single frame.

The first semi-final featured word number 3 Fisher going up against world number one Fu Xiaofang in a rematch of their tense final at the World 9-ball Championship in June, which Fisher won. The match was everything fans could ask for; high quality throughout, tense drama, and a thrilling finish.

Fisher grabbed an early 2-0 lead and held on to it until Fu tied the match midway. The comeback gave Fu a shot of confidence and she soon went ahead 7-5, then 8-6.

Fisher got one back on Fu�s break to make the score 8-7. Then in the following rack, the Brit sank four balls on the break but didn�t have a shot. After a pair of brilliant safeties by both players, Fisher was faced with one of those do or die shots that can become career highlights, if potted. Facing either a difficult bank on the 6 ball or a pick-em safety, Fisher took the dangerous route and went for the bank. She made it and ran out the rack to tie the match at 8-8.

�I had to go for it,� Fisher said afterward. �I�d have killed myself if I had played safe and then lost the match.�

The gamble paid off handsomely for Fisher because Fu scratched on the break in the deciding game. The two had to play safe but Fu left a shot open and Fisher held her nerve for a memorable victory and a spot in Sunday�s final.

�That was a great match,� Fisher said. �We both played really well. I�m very happy with my performance. I�ve struggled for a few years in China and I never got across the finish line. The final in Shenyang at the World 9-ball in June, that was my first final in China, and when I won it just makes you feel that you can do it, you have the confidence. But at this level you have to perform because if you�re even just a little bit off, you�re going to lose.

�I�m just excited to play in the final. I�m just going to go out and enjoy it. I�m pleased with what I have done already. I�m just going to try and bring home the trophy.�

As usual, Fu was stoic in defeat. �I performed well in the semi, and Kelly really is a strong player with her aggressive games. I couldn't afford any mistake. Once I miss a shot I never had another chance. I didn't have the luck to win the deciding rack and was not able to do my best during safety changes.�

The second semi-final pitted two of the best of the young generation of Chinese women pool stars, 19 year old Chen Siming and 20 year old Zhou Doudou. Both are considered by many in China to be prodigious talents and both players are members of China�s 8 woman national team. But Chen has had more success on the big stage. Zhou, however, was not about to let her moment slip by.

Zhou was hardly awed by the circumstances as she came back from an early 3-0 deficit and tied the match at 4. She took her first lead at 6-5 but the pair fought it out tooth and nail right to the bitter end. At 8-8 Zhou broke and the pair traded misses. But Zhou found an opening on the two and never looked back for the biggest win of her five year career.

�I was not in great form for the past few years because my attitude was not quite right, and had some technical problems,� a clearly delighted Zhou said afterward. �So I kept improving. I could have done well and make some good result but I knew I was not perfect then. There were no great achievement in World 9-ball, CBSA events and other big tournaments, but I finally did something tonight.�

And she�ll have a chance to do something even bigger on Sunday when she takes on the current World 9-ball Champion in Kelly Fisher. With her big match experience and two world titles in her case, Fisher has to be considered the favourite. But Zhou showed tonight she has exceptional fortitude, and with tens of millions of Chinese fans backing her, she could very well reach the highest point yet in her career.

The 2012 China Open Women�s final will begin at 1:30pm Shanghai time(GMT +8 ). The match is race to 9, alternate break. The winner will receive $30,000.

WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR CAST SET

Photo courtesy of �Tai Chengzhe/Top147.com.

FISHER VS. FU, CHEN VS. ZHOU SET TO KICK OFF
Yes, perseverance does indeed pay off.

The 2012 China Open women�s event is now down to four players, and as befitting a tournament featuring the best in the world, the top three ranked players in the world will be part of the cast.

Great Britain�s Kelly Fisher, world number three, is the lone non-Chinese player remaining, and life on the table here in Shanghai is not going to get any easier for the current World 9-ball Champion. Fisher will be take on world number one Fu Xiaofang in what promises to be a dramatic battle of two of the game�s best.

In the other semi-final, Chen Siming and Zhou Doudou, two of China�s finest younger talents will square off in a showdown of prodigious teenagers.

After struggling a bit yesterday, Fisher put in two quality performances today inside the cavernous Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium. She came back from 5-2 down to defeat Korea�s Ga Young Kim in the round of 16, 9-6. She then dominated China�s Chen Xue 9-4. Fu also looked tough and consistent as she first took down Gao Meng, 9-6. Fu then grinded out a 9-6 win over China�s Queen of 9-ball, Pan Xiaoting.

The match between Fisher and Fu is a rematch from their final in the World 9-ball Championship back in June in the north eastern Chinese city of Shenyang. In that match, Fu had started out like a house on fire, but she lost her composure after touching a ball with her shirt right she was about to take full control of the match. The foul was the key turning point in the match and Fisher soon caught up and took the lead, which she would not relinquish.

The world championship victory for Fisher was a major accomplishment for the Brit coming after years of near misses in China. Fu, on the other hand, seemed to wilt under the pressure of expectation and playing in front of millions watching on national TV. Thus, tonight�s semi-final has a strong undercurrent of drama which is sure to affect the outcome.

19 year old Chen Siming will surely be favoured in the other semi-final, as she is considered by many to be the most prodigious talent in all of China. 17 year old Zhou, though, is where Chen was just two years ago; a rising talent looking to make her mark. Both players are members of China�s 8 woman national team, and this match is sure to offer several twists and turns before it ends.

Each semi-final is a race to 9, alternate break. The finals will be played on Sunday. The winner of the China Open Women�s event will receive $30,000.

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - MEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE GROUPS
GROUP A 1. Darren Appleton （GBR） 2. David Van Den Berg （NED） 3. Jusman Jimmy （INA） 4. Kwok Chi Ho （HKG） 5. Waleed MajEed （IRQ） 6. Corey Deuel （USA） 7. Chang Yu-Lung （TPE) 8. Thorsten Hohmann（GER）	GROUP B 1. Chang Jung-Lin （TPE） 2. So Shaw （IRI） 3. Nguyen Anh Tuan （VIE） 4. Daryl Peach （GBR） 5. Sharlik Aslam Sayed （SIN） 6. Lu Hui-Chan （TPE） 7. Chao Yung-Hwa （TPE） 8. Liu Haitao （CHN）
GROUP C 1. Chris Melling （GBR） 2. Dai Yong （CHN） 3. Liu Wei （CHN） 4. Mark Gray （GBR） 5. Wang Can （CHN） 6. Hunter Lombardo （USA） 7. John Morra （CAN） 8. Ralf Souquet （GER）	GROUP D 1. Akagariyama Yukio （JPN） 2. Chu Bingjie （CHN） 3. Nick Malai （ALB) 4. Lee Wan Su （KOR） 5. Lo Li-Wen （TPE） 6. Oliver Ortmann （GER） 7. Francisco Diaz-Pizarro （ESP） 8. Fu Jianbo （CHN）
GROUP E 1. Ko Pin-Yi （TPE） 2. Mike Dechaine （USA） 3. Nick Ekonomopoulos （GRE） 4. Hsu Kai-Lun （TPE） 5. Dang Jinhu （CHN） 6. Alok Kumar （IND） 7. Alex Pagulayan （CAN） 8. Carlo Biado （PHI）	GROUP F 1. Li Hewen （CHN） 2. Wang Ming （CHN） 3. Vaic Zbynek （RSA） 4. Jason Klatt （CAN） 5. Yang Ching-Shun （TPE） 6. Nick Van Den Berg（NED） 7. Andreas Gerwen （SWE） 8. Dennis Orcollo （PHI）
GROUP G 1. Lee Van Corteza （PHI） 2. Marcus Chamat （SWE） 3. Albin Ouschan（AUT） 4. Oi Naoyuki （JPN） 5. Liu Zheng-Chieh （TPE） 6. Chen Ying-Chieh （TPE） 7. Do Hoang Quan （VIE） 8. Fu Che-Wei （TPE）	GROUP H 1. Huidji See （NED） 2. Zhou Long （CHN） 3. Aloysius Yapp （SIN） 4. Abdulatif Al Fawal （QAT） 5. Zhu Xihe （CHN） 6. Han Haoxiang （CHN） 7. Oscar Dominguez （USA） 8. Karl Boyes （GBR）

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - WOMEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE PLAYERS
1. Fu Xiaofang （CHN） 2. Rubelin Amit （PHI） 3. Wu Tzi-Ting (TPE） 4. Gao Meng （CHN） 5. Nicola Rossouw （RSA） 6. Wei Tzu-Chien （TPE） 7. Tsai Pei-Chen （TPE） 8. Liu Yuchen （CHN） 9. Jung Bo Ra （KOR） 10. Bai Ge （CHN） 11. Huyen Thi Hgoc （VIE） 12. Cha Yu Ram （KOR） 13. Liu Shasha （CHN） 14. Wang Xiaotong （CHN） 15. Li Jia （CHN） 16. Wu Jing （CHN） 17. Yukawa Keiko （JPN） 18. Chen Xue （CHN） 19. Kim Ga Young （KOR） 20. Tsuchiya Junko （JPN） 21. Chan Ya-Ting （TPE） 22. Duong Thuy Vi （VIE） 23. Bi Zhuqing （CHN） 24. Park Eun Ji （KOR）	25. Kelly Fisher （GBR） 26. Jing Jia （CHN） 27. Luo Qiuhong （CHN） 28. Cong Jing （CHN） 29. Han Fang （CHN） 30. Lin Yuan-Chun （TPE） 31. Chou Chieh-Yu （TPE） 32. Ren Qiuyue （CHN） 33. Akimi Kajitani （JPN） 34. Liu Shin-Mei （TPE） 35. Allison Fisher （GBR） 36. Lai Hui-Shan （TPE） 37. Jasmin Ouschan （AUT） 38. Chichiro Kawahara （JPN） 39. Zhou Doudou （CHN） 40. He Xin-Ru （TPE） 41. Zheng Xiaochun （CHN） 42. Han Yu （CHN） 43. Chen Siming （CHN） 44. Iris Ranola （PHI） 45. Jiang Teng （CHN） 46. Chai Zeet Huey （SIN） 47. Caroline Roos （SWE） 48. Pan Xiaoting （CHN）

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - MEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE LAST 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)	0 : 0	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)

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - MEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE LAST 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)

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - MEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE QUARTER FINALS
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)

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - MEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE SEMI FINALS
Dennis Orcullo(PHL)	0 : 0	Chang Yu Lung(TPE)
Lu Hui Chan(TPE)	0 : 0	Yukio Akagariyama(JPN)

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - MEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE FINAL
---	0 : 0	---

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - WOMEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE LAST 16
Pan Xiaoting（CHN）	beat	Bai Ge（CHN）
Fu Xiaofang（CHN）	beat	Gao Meng（CHN）
Kim Ga Young（KOR）	beat	Kim Ga Young（KOR）
Chen Xue（CHN）	beat	Bi Zhuqing（CHN）
Lin Yuan-Chun（TPE）	beat	Wu Jing（CHN）
Chen Siming（CHN）	beat	Han Yu（CHN）
Zhou Doudou（CHN）	beat	Allison Fisher（GBR）
Chou Chieh-Yu（TPE）	beat	Cha Yu Ram（KOR）

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - WOMEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE QUARTER FINALS
Fu Xiaofang（CHN）	9 : 6	Pan Xiaoting（CHN）
Kelly Fisher（GBR）	9 : 4	Chen Xue（CHN）
Chen Siming（CHN）	9 : 7	Lin Yuan-Chun（TPE）
Zhou Doudou（CHN）	9 : 2	Chou Chieh-Yu（TPE）

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - WOMEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE SEMI FINALS
Kelly Fisher（GBR）	9 : 8	Fu Xiaofang（CHN）
Zhou Doudou（CHN）	9 : 8	Chen Siming（CHN）

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - WOMEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE FINAL
Kelly Fisher（GBR）	0 : 0	Zhou Doudou（CHN）

THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - MEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE PRIZE FUND
1st	US $ 40,000-00
2nd	US $ 20,000-00
3rd - 4th	US $ 10,000-00
5th - 8th	US $ 5,500-00
9th - 16th	US $ 2,400-00
17th - 32nd	US $ 1,200-00
33rd - 64th	US $ 700-00
THE 2012 CHINA 9 BALL OPEN - WOMEN
SHANGHAI - CHINA
THE PRIZE FUND
1st	US $ 30,000-00
2nd	US $ 15,000-00
3rd - 4th	US $ 7,500-00
5th - 8th	US $ 4,000-00
9th - 16th	US $ 1,800-00
17th - 32nd	US $ 900-00
33rd - 48th	US $ 500-00

RELATED ARTICLES AT WWW.PRO9.CO.UK

2012
CHINA OPEN - DAY 3 - WOMEN'S FINAL FOUR CAST SET
CHINA OPEN - DAY 2 - APPLETON SHOWN THE DOOR IN SHANGHAI
CHINA OPEN - DAY 1 - MELLING AVERTS FIRST ROUND FLOP
CHINA OPEN - 'I'M READY FOR THE BATTLE'

2011
CHINA OPEN - MELLING BY A MILE!
CHINA OPEN - MELLING AND HSU MOTOR THROUGH TO THE FINAL
CHINA OPEN - MANNA FROM HEAVEN
CHINA OPEN - $275,000 EVENT TO KICK OFF THIS WEEK IN SHANGHAI

2010
CHINA OPEN - THE FINAL DAY

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