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Team USA Taking Shape as Three More Named

A Pro9 - Europe's No.1 Pool Player Resource Article

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Date: Thursday, October 29 2009 @ 10:11:01 UTC
Topic: Mosconi Cup



2009 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup
Studio Ballroom
MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas
Nevada
USA
www.matchroompool.com
www.ticketmaster.com - 1-800 745 300
www.mgmgrand.com - 1-800 929 1111

10-13 December 2009


Blend of Youth and Experience Attempting To Regain Cup

MATCHROOM SPORT can announce three more players to join Johnny Archer on Team USA as they attempt to win the Mosconi Cup outright for the first time since 2005. As expected, the Nos. 1 and 2 ranked players on the BCA Points List at the conclusion of last week’s US Open take their place and they are Los Angeles’ Oscar Dominguez and Corey Deuel from Columbus, Ohio.

They will be joined by the third highest ranked American player, Shane Van Boening, who will be making his third appearance in the PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup which takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas from 10th to 13th December.

Dominguez, a 24 year-old from Van Nuys, caps a great year that saw him win the Turning Stone Classic XIII in August and complete a high finish at the Pro Players Championship.

Son of Californian pool legend Ernesto, Dominguez is thrilled to be pulling on a Team USA shirt.

“I am honored to be representing my country. For me to earn my spot through points is amazing and it was actually my goal at the beginning of 2009, so I’m very happy to have accomplished it,” said Dominguez.

“It is people like Ralf, Niels, and Mika whom I learned so much from and now I get to play against them in the biggest, most prestigious event in the world.

“This opportunity makes it all very special to me. I am looking forward to the challenge and playing with America's finest, instead of against. Having played competitive basketball all my life, I know how to work as a team and I think this experience will help me. I feel Team USA has the ability to win and I will be training hard from now on for this event.





"Read More..." for the details.

“I will not promise victory, but I will promise that I put every ounce of energy and concentration to bring the Mosconi Cup back to US soil,” added Dominguez.

For Corey Deuel, who will be 32 when the event rolls round in December, it will be his sixth Mosconi Cup and he sports an enviable record in the event of 14 wins from 23 matches.

“I’m delighted to be back in the Mosconi Cup and will be giving it my all in the quest to get that trophy back to where it belongs,” said Deuel.

Finally, Shane Van Boening earns a third chance to win the Mosconi Cup after two unsuccessful outings in 2007 and ’08.

“The Mosconi Cup is the most entertaining, unforgettable tournaments you can ever play in and I am very honoured to once again be representing the USA and will do my best,” said Van Boening.

The final spot will go to the player who amasses the most votes in a public poll set to take place on the pages of www.matchroompool.com

This will be from a selected list of eight candidates and will be up and running week commencing Monday 2nd November.


Mika and Thorsten Complete Stellar Euro Line-Up

FINLAND’S record-breaking Mika Immonen and 2003 World Champion Thorsten Hohmann will fill the final two spots on Team Europe as they ready themselves for the 2009 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup which takes place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas from 10th to 13th December.

For Immonen, a recent back-to-back victor at the US Open, winning a record 16 matches, and Challenge of Champions winner, it will be his 13th appearance in a European shirt and it would take a brave person to argue that he is not the greatest 9 ball player in the world today.

“I’m delighted to once again be playing in the Mosconi Cup. After years of being on the losing side, it’s nice to be part of confident winning set-up,” said Immonen.

“Despite our two recent wins in the competition, I am sure it will be one the devils playground of a struggle in December and we will all need to be at the top of our games to have a chance of retaining the Cup,” he added.

Joining Immonen, Niels Feijen, Ralf Souquet and Darren Appleton in the five-man European team will be 30 year-old Hohmann who will be making his third appearance in the Mosconi, having been on the losing team in 2003 and 2005.

"The Mosconi Cup creates a unique, sizzling atmosphere that brings out rarely seen emotions and excitement in both players and spectators,” said a delighted Hohmann.
“I have played twice at the MGM Grand before and I think to describe this year’s European Mosconi Cup Team there is only one word: WOW!"

“Ralf is the reigning World 8-Ball Champion and World Games Champion, Darren the reigning World 10-Ball Champion and World Pool Masters Champion, Niels has played in seven major finals this year, winning two and Mika I believe has been abducted by aliens and cannot be beaten this year by any human!

“I am very happy with my past performances as well, winning major events in China and Korea plus several other US tournaments and I cannot wait to return to Vegas."

For the European captain Alex Lely, these two complete what is a dream team and one that is sure to start as betting favourites.

“Our line-up is starting to look the strongest ever to unite in the Mosconi Cup. If we manage to come together as a real collective, as Europe has done so well in the past three years, then we have a real chance.

“Hohmann, Immonen, Feijen, Appleton and Souquet are five of the strongest pool players on the planet. The Mosconi Cup demands a team effort though and we will work on that,” said Lely.

The 2009 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup takes place from Thursday to Sunday 10-13 December at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.

Live in its entirety on Sky Sports in the UK, the event features two five-man teams representing Europe and the USA doing battle in a series of singles and doubles matches. Now in its 16th year, the Americans hold a 10-4 lead with one tied match in 2006.

With the European side now named, the next three players to join Johnny Archer on the American side will be disclosed this week. They will be the #1 & 2 players atop the BCA Points List as well as one wild card pick. The remaining spot will go to the player who amasses the most votes in a public poll set to take place on the pages of www.matchroompool.com


Notes: Matchroom Sport are one of the world’s leading producers of televised sport and are responsible for over 1,100 hours of original programming across a range of nine sports. Based in the UK and chaired by charismatic founder Barry Hearn, the Mosconi Cup is one of a stable of pool events that also includes the World Cup of Pool and the World Pool Masters.

The 2009 Mosconi Cup is sponsored by PartyPoker.net, the world’s leading online casino. Tables are supplied by Brunswick Billiards, cloth by Iwan Simonis, Super Aramith balls by Saluc and the Official Cue is Predator.








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