BRENTWOOD: Spain have won the 2022 World Cup of Pool, winning the competition for the first time as the pair of David Alcaide and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz defeated team Singapore in the final 11-6.

In the final of the mega event between Spain and Singapore, the Spaniard pair of Alcaide and Sanchez sealed a comprehensive 11-6 triumph over the latter team, comprised of Aloysius Yapp and Toh Lian Han in the Best of 21.

The Spaniards had a rather shaky start as they made a few errors, which luckily did not cost them much as they managed to carry on and pulled ahead to take an early 2-0 lead.

Ruiz broke dry in the third frame which provided Singapore with an opportunity to claim their opening rack but Yapp, who left no angle for Lian Han allowed the Spaniards to keep the break in their hands at 3-0 and soon 4-0.

Team Singapore, on the other hand, finally found fortune in the fifth rack as Alcaide fouled when jumping to make the three. Lian Han and Yapp then pounced on the opportunity and cut the initial deficit to three before reducing it to two after the sixth.

Han’s safety error was poor in the seventh as Ruiz and Alcaide capitalized on the former’s mistake to restore their lead to three before reaching the halfway stage at 6-2.

In the next rack, Yapp attempted an ambitious two-nine combo but failed. The US Open runner-up, however, then made an expert jump to pot it before clearing up the table with Lian Han to be 6-3 back.

In the 10th rack, Lian Han broke dry and allowed the Spaniards to keep the break in their hands as they move to seven. The next rack returned the opposite turn of fortune for the side as Alcaide failed to pot on his break and Singapore cut the deficit to 7-4.

The Singaporean duo then marked an inspirational comeback in the next two racks to move within one to Spain’s lead 7-6.

Yapp’s error in the next frame, however, as the three kissed the cue ball into the top left pocket, allowed the Spaniards to run away with the frame.

The duo of Alcaide and Sanchez then made Singapore regret the error and soon reached the hill by claiming three consecutive racks. Ruiz then broke in the 17th rack to leave a beautiful 2-9 combo to seal a special victory for Spain.

 

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