2017
WORLD POOL Russian Ruslan Chinakov Takes
Russia’s Ruslan Filipino, and quickly Chinakov claims pushed his lead up to the Molinari Players 9-1 with his smashing Championship with an break shot and crafty emphatic 16-6 win over shot making. Chua did the Philippines Lee Vann manage a brief fight back, Corteza in New York but the Russian rebuffed City. This first event of him at every turn and the World Pool Series, walked into the final with The Molinari Players a 15-8 victory. Championship, took Corteza came into place at Steinway Billiards the final playing some in Astoria, Queens, New of his best pool in the York City, January 14-17, last two years, but he 2017. nearly didn’t even make Employing an it out of his semi-final absolute monster match with Appleton. break, combined with The Englishman was some seriously solid wearing two hats as both potting and pattern promoter and player this play, Russia’s Ruslan week, and was playing Chinakov handily won care free and as strong as both his matches today, ever. Appleton looked to including an emphatic be on his way to a finals 16-6 finals win over the date as he powered out Philippines Lee Vann to a 9-4 lead. Corteza, Corteza, and captured though, would have none the inaugural Molinari of it as he stormed back Players Championship at with six straight racks to Steinway Billiards in New lead 10-9. York City. From there the two Chinakov’s success greats went toe to toe, on Tuesday represents and headed straight for the biggest win of the the cliff. Down 14-13 and 23-year-old’s career. Since with the pressure bearing he began his international down, Corteza took career at the tender age advantage of a dry break of just 13 years old, the by Appleton and cleared a young Russian, a veritable very difficult layout to tie. pool prodigy since the In the ensuing shootout very beginning, has been Corteza shot first and a fixture on the pro scene made his first attempt at around the world. At the full table spot shot on 15 years old he won the the 8-ball. From there he WPA Jr. World 9-ball never trailed, eventually Championship. He also winning 4-2 to advance captured two straight to the final against Kremlin Cup titles. Chinakov. And he’s had many solid At over 3 1/2 hours finishes in tournaments long, Corteza’s match Photos courtesy of WPS and JP Parmentier globally. against Appleton had But this week’s win clearly drained the in the Big Apple surely represents a new level of accomplishment for Chinakov, and Filipino. He had only one hour to get ready for Chinakov, while the Russian had rested signals a new phase in the towering and talented Russian’s career. The Molinari Players for 6 hours. In the end, however, it probably made little difference as Chinakov was Championship, the first of four 8-ball tournaments that make up Darren Appleton’s playing too good to be stopped. brand new tour called the World Pool Series, attracted a seriously world class field of The pair traded several racks to open the race to 16, winner breaks final. But when 120 players from over 35 countries. They played a version of 8-ball that was designed Corteza missed a makeable 8-ball while down just 4-3, Chinakov pounced and never to be as tough a test as players could possibly face. And when the four-day slugfest looked back. His towering break shot led to balls dropping and patterns opening up, concluded, it was Chinakov who clearly stood well above this amazing field. and soon the Russian was up 7-3. Chinakov kept feeding off the momentum while Tuesday will be a day that Chinakov, and those that watched it, won’t soon forget as Corteza had few answers and the score quickly went to 12-4. The Filipino tried to he manhandled two of the Philippines best on route to the winner’s circle. In his semimount a comeback with two racks of his own, but the day belonged to Chinakov, who final match against hot shot Pinoy Johann Chua, also 23 years old, the Russian wasted was just too strong, too good and clearly destined for victory. Chinakov took the next little time in stamping his class on the proceedings. Chinakov lived up to his nickname, four racks, and when he dropped the final 8-ball he had claimed an emphatic, awe “the Siberian Express” as won the lag and proceeded to run the first six racks on the inspiring16-6 win.
RUSLAN V CHINAKO
26
February 2017
Rack’em
OnTheBreakNews.com
www.facebook.com/onthebreaknews