ethernetacademy.netProfessional billiards is full of upsets, but year after year, it was becoming more and more of a championship game. There were many young and promising players, but they shook their heads at the threshold of victory every time. Choi Hye-mi (29-Wellcome Savings Bank) announced the birth of a new star to the LPBA.
Choi defeated teammate Kim Ye-eun 4-2 (4-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-5, 6-11, 11-8) in the final of the ‘NH Card LPBA Championship’ at the Goyang Kintex PBA Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do on April 8.
After reaching the quarterfinals in her third season, a career-best result, the win was especially meaningful as she struggled last season and this season, failing to reach the round of 16.
As the 14th LPBA winner, he earned KRW30 million in prize money and 20,000 ranking points. He jumped from 40th to fifth in the seasonal rankings.
Choi was unfazed by her fifth finalist, Kim Ye-eun. She dropped the first set but quickly leveled the match in seven games.
Once she got the momentum going, she went on a scary run. After scoring just one point in the fourth game of the third set, she scored two in the fifth and three in the sixth to take the match 11-5 in 11 games. In the fourth set, she continued to build on her momentum, racking up points to take the set 3-1 in 13 games.
In the fifth set, Kim faltered briefly as Yeun fought back. While the second through sixth games were all ball strikes, Kim was hitting like a maniac and took the set.
The sixth set was the decider. Choi Hye-mi scored three points in the first inning, but Kim Ye-eun responded with three points of her own. Trailing 7-8 going into the seventh, Choi Hye-mi quickly added four more points, including a one-bank shot, and performed a shy championship ceremony with her cue.
This tournament was also significant for the LPBA as a whole. Following the early exit of Surong Pheavy (Cambodia-Blue One Resort), defending champion Kim Ga-young (Hana Card) also shook her head in the round of 16.
Choi Hye-mi, Yong Hyun-ji (Hi-One Resort), Kim Sang-ah, Kim Min-young (Blue One Resort), and Kim Jin-ah (Hana Card), along with other young and promising players who have yet to win a tournament, all made it to the quarterfinal stage. 보스토토 주소
Among them, Choi Hye-mi stood out the most. Choi, who has been competing as an amateur since the LPBA’s inaugural year, overcame a 7.3:1 odds ratio to finish in the top six and earn her professional jersey.
This was a remarkable achievement in itself. Choi’s introduction to billiards was later than most, compared to her final opponent Kim Ye-eun, who was labeled a “genius” from a young age. As an adult, Choi pursued her dreams as a judo athlete but quit after growing tired of the harsh culture of elite sports. A friend suggested he take a part-time job at a pool hall, which changed his life.
His job gave him more exposure to the game, and he quickly became a professional athlete, rising through the ranks despite a late start.