Drago Wins Through Hill Hill Classic

IN THE MOST entertaining match of the competition to date, Malta’s Tony Drago edged out Niels Feijen 8-7 to advance to the last eight of the 2008 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters.

In front of a good crowd at the Riviera Hotel, it looked to be going Drago’s way, but Feijen dug in and staged a comeback before faltering in the deciding rack to give his Mosconi Cup team mate the opportunity for victory.

“What a game! If I’d have lost that I would have been very disappointed. Niels is a real fighter and such a great player,” said Drago.

“Since the Mosconi Cup last December, I don’t feel as if I can lose a game. That gave me so much confidence as a pool player.

“I was very nervous before the game but I was as calm as anything during it. Really, I was enjoying the nerves.

“The game changed as I outplayed him in the first half and he outplayed me in the second, but it was a very good win for me.

“The American fans are great and they love their pool and I’m looking forward to playing Ko in the next round.

“He’s a tough player and he won’t be afraid of me. He’s going to try and blow me away and I’ll be trying to do the same to him.”

They shared the opening two racks before Drago broke and ran to take a 2-1 lead. A dry break, a regular feature of this tournament, followed for Drago. Feijen though, hooked himself on 5 and the Malteser took full advantage to move to 3-1.

A foul by the ‘Tornado’ in the fifth game gave Feijen ball in hand and he cleared to get the score back to 2-3.

Drago took the next two, the second with a break and run to move into a 5-2 lead. He made three balls on the break but fluffed his shot on the 2 ball. Feijen though left it on and Drago ran out to increase his lead to 6-2.

Two good run outs from Feijen reduced the deficit to 4-6 but a poor safety by Feijen allowed Drago to get to the hill at 7-5.

Both were making mistakes but Drago lost position missing the subsequent 6 ball and Feijen ran out to get back to 7-6.

Nerves crept in for Feijen as he missed the 3 ball but fluked the 8 ball but then missed the 6 ball as he ran out of position. It ran safe and Drago scratched kicking out of trouble. With ball in hand, Feijen cleared to take the match to hill-hill.

Feijen made the 1 ball into the side pocket off the break but was forced to push out. Knowing that Drago does not carry a jump stick, the Dutchman pushed to a jump shot. He missed the pot on the blue 2 and it spun into the open.

Drago dispelled his nerves to run the table and take the match 8-7.