Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and Seo Seoa reigned victorious at the Predator Pro Billiard Series International Open in Gandia, Spain, defeating Denis Grabe and Kelly Fisher in the respective finals.
Spanish hero Sanchez Ruiz achieved a dream success as he reigned victorious in his home country, while Seoa pulled off arguably the biggest win of her career, adding to her Las Vegas Open and Indonesia International Open titles.
Sanchez Ruiz scooped the $30,000 top prize after defeating WPA number four Grabe in straight sets in the final, sealing undoubtedly the biggest title of his career in the 10-ball discipline.
The Spaniard emerged through deciding sets in the semi-finals and the quarter-finals, battling back from behind against Kuwait’s Bader Alawadhi after denying Wojciech Szewczyk in a dramatic shootout.
More comfortable victories over Hungary’s Oliver Szolnoki and Portugal’s Miguel Silva had come beforehand, while FSR also came from a set down to beat Mario He during the double elimination phase.
Seoa, meanwhile, defeated 2011 women’s world 10-ball champion Kelly Fisher in straight sets to win the most lucrative title of her career, scooping the $22,500 champion’s cheque.
She won both sets in deciding racks in a closely-contested match against Fisher, having beaten Saigon Open winner Wei Tzu-Chien in the semi-finals beforehand.
Seoa battled back from a set behind to overcome former women’s world number one Chou Chieh-Yu on her 23rd birthday, and she also beat Chen Chia-Hua, Hong Xin-Yu and Diana Khodjaeva on her way to the title.
Elsewhere, Estonian teenager Karl Gnadeberg beat Hubert Lopotko and Szymon Kural in marathon shootouts as he enjoyed a landmark run to the men’s quarter-finals, before being denied in another shootout by Kuwait’s Alawadhi.
Albanian brothers Eklent and Kledio Kaci both could have met each other in the last 16, although both exited in the last 32 following losses to Albin Ouschan and Szewczyk, while WPA number one Alex Kazakis was beaten by Grabe in the last 16.
Predator’s Pro Billiard Series reaches its conclusion from December 16-21 as the prestigious Women’s World 9-Ball Championship is held alongside the Men’s Jax Open in Jacksonville, Florida.
