It's apparent in Gerda Hofstatter's stroke that the transplanted Austrian has regained the confidence that had propelled her to the 1996 WPA World 9-Ball Championship. And it was never more evident than Saturday evening at the Brunswick Billiards Natio nal 9-Ball Championship, when Hofstatter calmly and confidently fired her way to a 9-6 decision over top-seeded Allison Fisher to move into the winner's bracket finale of the 48-player WPBA field against Jeanette Lee (Saturday, 9:30pm Central Time).

"It's easier to play everyone," said Hofstatter after her win over Fisher, her closest friend. "I just have more confidence and I'm really stroking the ball well. I've been punching at balls too much recently, instead of stroking them."

The breakthrough for Hofstatter came at the WPBA Classic Tour's final regular stop in '97, the Leisure Bay New Orleans Classic. Winless on the year, Hofstatter broke through in a big way, defeating six of the tour's top eight players, including Lee in the fin al, 7-4, to win the $6,500 title.

"That was a huge lift," Hofstatter said. "Winning like that was the greatest ever for me. I'm having fun again."

Still, Hofstatter admitted that beating her best friend, Fisher, isn't totally enjoyable.

"It's tough when we play each other," said Hofstatter, who lost to Fisher, 11-10, at the recent WPA world championships. "I hate to see her miss, and she hates to see me miss. Afterwards, the winner usually just stays quiet. But we're both still in the to urnament, and my dream is to play her in the final of a big tournament."

First, however, Hofstatter will have to get past the determined Lee, who's 9-4 drubbing of Vivian Villarreal served ample notice that, bad back or not, the Black Widow has her sights set on the WPBA's largest-ever tour top prize ‹ $16,000 from the $85,000 purse.

Meanwhile, Fisher will battle Sweden's Helena Thornfeldt, a 9-8 winner over Jennifer Chen, and, more importantly, a recent winner over Fisher in the finale of the Gentleman Jack's Shootout in Dallas. The evening's final match pits Villarreal against Nikki Benish, a 9-5 winner over Ewa Laurance earlier.