His People's Champ

With his breakthrough performance, Akagariyama is in position to be the face of Japanese pool.

The all-Asian race-to-13 finals had just about everything fans could ask for. The outcome was in doubt until the last ball dropped, and both players made jaw-dropping shots while showing absolute mastery of the table. Each player committed a handful of errors too, but under the weight of the moment this was to be expected.

The pair split the first eight racks and, at 4-4, the match was already shaping up to be a high quality battle of attrition. Akagariyama stamped his class on the match, taking advantage of several errors by the Filipino and converting to move up 6-4.

Alcano got one back in the subsequent frame with a break and run. But Akagariyama countered yet again with his own clearance to move up, 7-5. The 36-year-old from Nagano was clearly focused, potting balls with deadly accuracy and a fine rhythm.

Alcano missed a makeable 2 ball in the next rack and Akagariyama methodically picked off the colors for what seemed like a sure three-rack lead. But just as he was about to put a stranglehold on the match, Akagariyama left himself poor position on the 9 ball and the cue ball scratched after the winning ball fell.

With the mostly Filipino crowd cheering wildly, the scratch seemed to have the makings of a pivotal turning point, but Akagariyama was obviously unaffected; he broke and ran the next frame. He continued his measured assault, winning a safety battle in the next rack then running the table after banking in the 1 ball for a 9-6 lead.

Alcano responded with some clutch potting to knot the set at 9-9. With the crowd ready to explode in cheers, the lanky Filipino broke and confidently started potting the remaining balls. But suddenly he was stopped in his tracks when a full-table 8 ball bobbled in the jaws. As the crowd gasped in horror, Akagariyama stopped the bleeding and regained the lead, 10-9.

Next Akagariyama ran out for a two-rack lead, but Alcano blunted the momentum by clearing from his break and winning a safety battle to tie the set once again, this time at 11-11.

The World 9-Ball crown was now a race to 2 - and Alcano had the upper hand as he had won the lag and would be breaking for the hill. He also had the large crowd's full support. But with an open table, Alcano missed a very makeable 2 in the side pocket. The former two-time world champion couldn't believe it, and neither could the fans. Meanwhile, Akagariyama stepped in and took the hill.

One rack from the title, Akagariyama couldn't have asked for a better break and opening layout. As he had all night, he calmly and methodically potted the balls and pocketed the World 9-Ball Championship.

Afterwards, Alcano, who collected $18,000 for his efforts, was left to rue what might have been. He knew he had come close to winning his third world title, only to be undone by elementary mistakes.

"I missed four easy shots," a clearly dejected Alcano. "How can I win if I miss four shots? Maybe it was the pressure."

The immense pressure, though, probably only told part of the story. Afterward, the low-key new champion, who won $36,000, attributed the biggest victory of his 20-year career to his consistent training regime, which, he said, led to self belief that he could ride out the inevitable rough patches and win the big prize.

"I wouldn't say I played perfectly this week," Akagariyama said through an interpreter. "I had some misses. But I had confidence. I've been playing well in the past few months. After the World 10-Ball and the China Open, I went back home and I trained hard, on my game and physical training. I had so much confidence."

It was confidence born out of a higher calling than to simply win a big pool tournament. For while Alcano had the backing of the Philippine nation, Akagariyama, as would soon be revealed, was playing for his people and the Japanese nation. No wonder defeat never called on him the entire week in Doha.

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