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STRIVING for SILVER
by Kirstin Pires

While the world's top athletes battle for Olympic gold half way around the world in Sydney, Hampton Roads - with its own inviting shore and ocean breezes - is host to another group of world-class competitors putting forth their own Olympian efforts. 

At the close of competition today - or more likely, the early hours of tomorrow - only 32 players will have a shot at the silver.  The silver anniversary title to the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, that is.

The huge Japanese contingent - nearly 30 strong- remains a threat, while some other international stars have fallen early.  Finland's Mika Immonen, who
came within one Efren Reyes of winning the $150,000 Camel 8-Ball earlier this month, went to the hill with New York's Tony Robles at 1:00 today, but came down empty handed. "I missed at 9-8 and then he ran three," Immonen said with a sigh. "Watching him run those racks was brutal."

Denmark's Nils Feijen is still alive, but has his work cut out for him on the left side, thanks to Jon Kucharo, who remains undefeated.  Dutchman Alex "The Plague from the Hague" Lely, got by Okada from Japan, and is underway against Steve McAninch. Lely's countryman Rico Diks took a loss to money player James Walden, but is still alive in a match with local hero Nick Bewley. World champion Kunihiko Takahashi dispatched former US Open champ Allen Hopkins from the tournament altogether, 11-4.

Filipino legends Efren Reyes, Rodolfo Luat and Francisco Bustamante are undefeated and play at 9:00 against Johnny Archer, Roger Griffis and Tang
Hoa, respectively.

Play at 9:00 will determine which eight undefeated players will be joined by eight others from the left side to advance to the sweet sixteen.

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Bustamante owns most of the trophies worth having, but the U.S. Open is one that's missing from his collection.


Since 1978, Billiards Digest magazine has been the pool world’s best source for news, tournament coverage, player profiles, bold editorials, and advice on how to play pool. Our instructors include superstars Nick Varner and Jeanette Lee. Every issue features the pool accessories and equipment you love — pool cues, pool tables, instruction aids and more. Columnists Mike Shamos and R.A. Dyer examine legends like Willie Mosconi and Minnesota Fats, and dig deep into the histories of pool games like 8-ball, 9-ball and straight pool.

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