Enjoypool.com Open 2007 in Las Vegas (BCA Open)

The defending champion at the Enjoypool.com Open in Las Vegas (formerly the BCA Open) Jasmin Ouschan from Austria had a very strong start in this tournament.

In Round 1 she crushed Vicki Paski (USA) in just 45 minutes with a 9:0 score.

"Normally I always start a little defensive in a tournament. But as the defending champion many people expect a lot from me. It was a really good and strong match and I missed only one ball and my opponent was only able to pot one ball in the entire match. Of course a match like this happens not that often but I’m in a good mood that I can continue playing on a high level".

In Round 2 Ouschan faced Liz Ford (USA) who battled down the US young gun Anna Kostanian with a tight 9:8 score. Ouschan was able to go on with a strong game and managed to enter the next round with a clear 9:3 vicory.

In the next round she met the runner up of the World Championships 2006, Shin Mei Liu from Taiwan. After a tough battle Jasmin Ouschan won this match with a tight 9:6 score.

"Well, good match again even though my break did not work in the first three games which gave Liu always the chance to put pressure on me. In the last part of the match I was able to take control over the table and to decide the battle for me", was Ouschan's analysed right after the match.

In Round 4 the Austrian played the World Champion Xiaoting Pan from China.

"This match will be critical to my goal to defend the title. Of course I was able to beat her at the last WPBA tournament in San Diego with a clear 7:3 score but she won the World Championships this year and also one WPBA event, so she is in a very good shape – but she still has to beat me!" Ouschan mentioned  in her aggressive style.                                                                                                                       

In an exciting and highly anticipated match the 21-year old Ouschan demolished the 2007 World Champion Xiaoting Pan from China with a 9:3 score.

"I think we have been able to prepare perfect for this match and I was able to show right up at the beginning my abilities. Xiaoting Pan is known for her emotionless way to run the balls so I tried to keep her out of her comfort zone and forced her to errors. Out of my point of view I played a flawless match and took all the chances I got" was Ouschan's analysed right after the match.

In Round 5 Ouschan faced the WPBA Tour's No.2 ranked player, Karen Corr from Ireland.

"She is an opponent I like to play. I lost at my first women's World Championship by a tight 10:11 but since then I won all the matches against her. But nevertheless Karen is one of the most constant and strongest player's in the world and nobody has won more often this tournament here in Las Vegas than her - again a really tough match", Ouschan said of her outlook.

The match against Karen Corr was a tough Safe-Battle where Ouschan struggeld to find a constant rhythm. She was able to take a short lead at the beginning but then Corr took over the table made one game after another. With a 9:4 score Ouschan was sent to the loosers round.

"In this match I was just unable to find a good playing rhythm and Corr made a pretty good job in keeping me away from the table“, was Ouschan's analysed.

Sent into the one-loss bracket it came to an "Austrian Shoot out" when Ouschan faced Gerda Hofstätter, who has been living in the US for the last 15 years. In a match that mirrored the last WPBA-Tournament in San Diego, Ouschan made a clear statement about who is the new leading player in Austria, and crushed Gerda with a 9:2 score.

In her third match in a row Ouschan faced her contender for being Nr.1 ranked in the WPA-World ranking Ga Young Kim from Korea.

The winner of this match proceeds to the ESPN TV semi-final and Ouschan was able to take a rapid 7:2 lead, but after some "magical" shots from Kim the match went tight. With the score at 8:7 Ouschan took what could have been her last chance when Kim was not able to make a tough one ball after her break, and ran out the match.

Corr also beat Allison Fisher and went direct in the final and now the semi final looks like the last years final: Ouschan vs. Fisher.

"Allison Fisher is as long as I can remember the most dominant athlete in our sport. If you have to play her you will be always the underdog. Of course I beat her in last year's final at this tournament and also at the last WPBA event in San Diego, but she is still the favourite” Ouschan honoured tomorrow's opponent and adds, "but nevertheless she has to show up when she wants to beat me."

In the sold out ESPN arena most of the spectators expected a thrilling match between last year's two finalists. Neither player could break away from the other. With the score at 5:5, Jasmin Ouschan scratched on the break and Fisher was able to run out. With her break advantage in game 11 it seemed that Fisher wouldn't let the Austrian return to the table. A poor positional shot by Fisher brought the defending champion back to the table and Ouschan knew that with the break advantage in the next game she would have the chance to run out the match without giving Fisher a chance to fight back. But a too soft stroked long distance 7ball remained in the centre of the pocket and all ambitions of proceeding to the final and having the chance of defending the title were blown away.

"I am really a little bit upset that I was not able to use those chances. The match was not at a really high level but if you want to win here you have to show up your level at any time and this was not possible for me at this match", was Ouschan's analyse of the match.

In the final Karen Corr punished Allison Fisher much more for her mistakes and took her 4th title with a 7:4 score.

After her 2-month non stop travelling, with her coach and trainer Michael Neumann, they won't have too much time for recuperation, as in just two weeks time the next big tournament is on their schedule...

...The World Pool Masters in the Netherlands.

Results: