by InsidePOOL Staff

“I feel like I just won an Olympic Gold Medal,” said an elated Kelly Fisher moments after capturing the 2009 Mohegan Sun International Tournament of Champions title. The spirited $20,000 winner-takes-all event was held at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, CT, October 28. Fisher, originally from England and the 2008 Player of the Year, defeated China’s Xiaoting Pan, the 2007 World 9-Ball champion, 4-3 and 4-2 in the final match and was crowned the new women’s “Champion of Champions.” The two semifinals and the championship match were taped for broadcast by ESPN beginning December 27.

“We may look cool out there, but the pressure is just incredible,” said Fisher. “You have to play your heart out when every player is a champion. One or two errors, and you lose twenty thousand dollars. Your emotions are just wild during the entire tournament.”

Nonetheless, of the four international champions in the event, Fisher fought her way to the title. She defeated Monica Webb, the 2008 WPBA Nationals champion, in the semifinal round 4-0 and 4-3. The semis and final matches require a player to win two sets, race to four games each set. In the event of a tie, the pressure becomes brutal with a one-game sudden death tie-breaker.

The other semifinal match also brought cheers from the crowd. Xiaoting Pan and legendary Allison Fisher, who was recently inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame, split sets 4-3 and 4-3. The tie led to a hair-raising one-rack sudden death shootout. Pan won the lag and the break, and after trading safeties, she ran the table to take the match.

Fisher snapped off the spirited $20,000 winner-takes-all International Tournament of Chammpions that was held at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, CT, October 28.

Kelly Fisher’s final match against Xoiating Pan was neck-and-neck, featuring precise run-outs and fierce safety play. Fisher narrowly won the first set 4-3, then took the first two games of set two. But Pan rallied the next two games to tie the score at 2-2. Fisher quickly ran the next two racks to close out the championship match.

The crowd gave Fisher a standing ovation when she won the final match. She raised his arms in victory and then accepted the highest single winner’s purse in women’s pool of $20,000. The trophy and the check were presented by Mohegan Sun and Fusion Billiard Tables.

The 2009 event was the Twelfth Annual International Tournament of Champions. Bob Yalen, Director of Sports & Entertainment for Mohegan Sun, was delighted with the brilliant play and the crowd of pool fans. “We will continue to host this event,” he said. “The crowds appreciate watching champions go head to head, and the players were a credit to the sport. We are extremely pleased.”

In addition to the tournament site at Mohegan Sun, the event was sponsored by Fusion Billiard Tables, Aramith Tournament Billiard Balls, Simonis Cloth, Mueller Recreational Products, Executive Billiards, and Silver Cup Chalk. The WPBA-sanctioned event was produced by Billiards International, Ltd.

Corr defeated Pan in the finals of the Champion of Champions billiards event held at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.

“I’m just thrilled beyond words,” said an elated Karen Corr moments after capturing the 2008 Mohegan Sun International Tournament of Champions title. The pressure packed $25,000 winner-take-all event was held at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, October 29. Corr, who set a record by winning the event three years in a row, defeated 2007 World Champion Xiaoting Pan in a one game sudden death showdown in the final match and defended her title as “Champion of Champions.” The two semifinals and the Championship match were taped for broadcast by ESPN.

“We may look cool out there, but the pressure is just incredible,” said Corr “There’s no margin for error when every player is a champion. One shot missed and you can lose $25,000! Your emotions are off the chart during the entire tournament.”
 
Indeed, of the four international champions in the event, Corr had to fight her way to the title. She defeated two time World Champion Ga Young Kim in the semifinal round 4-2 and 4-3. The semi and final matches require a player to win two sets, race to  four games each set. In the event of a tie, the pressure becomes intense with a one game sudden death shootout.

The other semifinal also brought cheers from the crowd. Pan, from China, defeated legendary Allison Fisher, who holds fifty-three WPBA Classic Tour titles. They split sets 4-3 and 4-3, and after trading safeties in the sudden death game, Pan finally ran the table to win the match. Corr’s final match against Pan was a nailbiter, featuring flawless run outs and exquisite safety play. Corr easily won the first set 4-2. Pan then took the first game of set two, and following multiple safety duels, got out with a score of 4-1. They then went into sudden death, where Pan won the lag and the break and worked her way through the 4 ball. At that point, having left herself in bad position for the next shot, she played safe, placing the 5 ball on the foot rail and the cue ball far down table.

Corr now faced a rough layout. She might have tried a safety, even though the spread of the balls made it difficult. All the more troublesome, the seven was all but frozen to the nine on the rail near the head end of the table. She elected to play an extraordinary combination shot, banking the five down table, where it perfectly struck the seven and pocketed the nine. The incredible combination was a championship shot to close out the Championship match.

The crowd gave Karen Corr a standing ovation, rocking the arena with cheers and applause. She raised his arms in victory and then accepted the highest single winner’s purse in Women’s pool of $25,000. The trophy and the check were presented by Mohegan Sun and Connelly Billiards. 

The 2008 event was the Eleventh Annual International Tournament of Champions. Bob Yalen, Director of Sports & Entertainment for Mohegan Sun, was delighted with the support displayed by the crowd of pool fans. “We will continue to host this event,” he said. “The crowds were even more than we anticipated, and the players were amazing. We are extremely pleased.”

In addition to the fine tournament site at Mohegan Sun, the event was sponsored by Connelly Billiards Tables, Aramith Super Pro Billiard Balls, Simonis Cloth, L.E.A.N.I. Italian Slate,  AcCue Shot Training Device, Executive Billiards Delta-13 Rack and Silver Cup Chalk. The WPBA sanctioned event was produced by Billiards International, Ltd.

“We may look cool out there, but the pressure is just incredible,” said Corr “There’s no margin for error when every player is a champion. One shot missed and you can lose $25,000! Your emotions are off the chart during the entire tournament.”

Indeed, of the four international champions in the event, Corr played at the top of her game and virtually blitzed the field on her way to the title. She defeated World Ranked #4 Monica Webb in the semifinal round 4-1 and 4-3. The semi and final matches require a player to win two sets, race to 4 games each set with alternate break. In the event of a tie, the pressure becomes intense with a one game sudden death shootout.

The other semifinal also brought cheers from the crowd. Allison Fisher and San Diego Classic Champion Kelly Fisher battled back and forth in a seesaw match. Kelly took the first set 4-2 and Allison regrouped to win the second set 4-1. They then played a one game sudden death, and after a brief safety duel, Allison closed out the match by running the table.

Corr’s finals match against Allison Fisher featured exquisite safety play and several flawless run outs. In the first set, Corr ran four straight racks, despite the alternate break format, for a score of 4-0. The second set began much the same with Corr taking the first three racks and jumping out to an early lead. Allison Fisher, who never seemed to find her stroke, finally got her only run out of the match in game four of set two. Known for her pinpoint accuracy Corr took the next game to close out the Championship match 4-0 and 4-1.

The crowd gave Karen Corr a standing ovation when she won the final match and back-to-back Champion of Champions titles. She raised his arms in victory and then accepted the highest single winner’s purse in Women’s pool of $25,000. The trophy and the check were presented by Mohegan Sun and Olhausen Billiards, and Cuetec Cues presented a one-of-a-kind cue inscribed “2007 Champion of Champions.”

The 2007 event was the Tenth Annual International Tournament of Champions. Bob Yalen, Director of Sports Entertainment for Mohegan Sun, was delighted with the support displayed by the crowd of pool fans. “We will continue to host this event,” he said. “The crowds were even more than we anticipated, and the players were amazing. We are extremely pleased.”

In addition to the fine tournament site at Mohegan Sun, the event was sponsored by Cuetec Cues, Olhausen Billiards Tables, Aramith Super Pro Billiard Balls, Simonis Cloth, L.E.A.N.I. Italian Slate, Ozone Billiards, AcCue Shot Training Device and Silver Cup Chalk. The WPBA sanctioned event was produced by Billiards International, Ltd.