Gold Medalist and Silver Medalist Fu and Fisher. All photos courtesy by www.top147.com & Tai Chengzhe
 
Shanghai, China- China's Xiao-Fang Fu has been crowned the 2010 Women's World 9-Ball Champion. Fu toppled a star studded field and overcame legendary Allison Fisher in the finals to become the second consecutive Chinese woman to win the World 9-Ball.
 
Fu made it through the beginning stage of the event making the top half cut to reach the round of 32 players. She made relatively short work of Hui Shan Lai 9-3, Ho Yun Tan  9-2, and a tough quarter finals match with former Amway Cup winner Chieh-Yu Chouh of Taiwan 9-7. In the semi-finals, she faced her friend and defending World 9-Ball Champ Sha Sha Liu of China, whom she defeated 9-6 to reach the finals.

On the other side of the bracket another player facing her fork in the road was Allison Fisher. Fisher almost didn't make it to the World Championship when news of her brother's death reached her hours before her flight. Her father had passed a few years earlier. Both men had been major influences on her life and career.
 
Allison did decide to go but kept the news of the tragedy private. A player could easily crumble under those circumstances but Fisher lived up to her Hall of Fame name as she steamrolled her first four opponents with a combined score of 32 games to 8 before reaching the quarter-finals. Fisher looked liked a woman on a mission and became the event favorite early on as she crushed WPBA star Gerda Hofstatter 7-3, and then defeated Germany's Ina Jentschura 7-2. In the round of 32, she demolished China's Xiao-Chun Zheng 9-2, and then played a near flawless match against USA's Angel Paglia 9-1 with a total of 8 break and run-outs during the match.
 
Asia's dominance in the sport has been well cemented in recent years, and in the Sweet 16, only 6 westerners made it to that round including Paglia USA, Kelly Fisher ENG, Brittany Bryant CAN, Monica Webb USA, Ine Helvik GER, and Allison Fisher ENG. Surprise early exits by pre-tournament favorites were made by Jasmin Ouschan, Karen Corr, Yu Ram Cha, Xiaoting Pan and Rubilen Amit, all of who make the top 32 cut. 
 
In the final eight, Allison Fisher was the only westerner left amongst the other 7 Asian queens of pool. But the Duchess proved once more why she is considered to be the greatest woman's player to ever hold a cue as she toppled 2x World Champion and 2x US Open Champion Ga Young Kim of Korea 9-7. Then in the semi-finals, Fisher trailed the entire match to Taiwan's Shu han Chang, but made a thrilling comeback from behind to win 9-8 to reach the finals.  When she pocketed the final 9-Ball, with the cue ball drifting near towards the corner pocket before stopping just a few inches away, Allison laid her cue on the table and placed both hands together and looked up at the sky in acknowledgement. "The past couple days as I've progressed further in the event, it has been very emotional for me," explained Fisher.

In the finals, Fu jumped out to a gigantic 5-0 lead in the race to 9. Finally Fisher got an opening to run out and scored a point on the board. But the deficit looked near insurmountable, and it seemed that the personal emotions, fatigue, and overwhelming support for the home country favorite in young Fu would be too much for even Fisher to withstand. Nevertheless, Allison shot back a dagger into Fu's confidence with five straight wins of her own.

Fu regrouped back with taking the lead 6-5 , but it was only temporary as Fisher tied it at 6-6. Fisher had a chance to run out, but made an error that gave Fu the game at 7-6. But Fisher took the next game to make it 7-7. She smashed the next rack and was left with an open table which she masterfully maneuvered through but left herself a slight reach on the 9-Ball. She opted for her bridge, which she is known to be a master with, and fired at the nine, but it failed to drop.  Fu took the lead 8-7. The next game Fu failed to pocket a ball and left Fisher a mediocre safe. Fisher made the ball but hooked herself on the two, kicked it but left Fu a wide open table and the match looked over. But Fu missed the eight. Fisher was hooked by the 9ball and had to masse to hit the 8ball and possibly make it. She made it! But the cue ball rolled uptable, leaving a very low percentage nine. She made a fair attempt but it wasn't enough and left Fu a long bank shot on the 9-Ball. Fu fired at it and missed it terribly by two diamonds and almost fluked it in the side pocket. She again left Fisher a tough but makeable cut shot or bank on the 9-ball. Allison tried to slice the ball down the rail but missed it and ended up further penalized with a scratch. With ball in hand, a very relieved Fu pocketed the nine for the win.
 
"Of course I would have liked to have won the event, but I am very pleased with my performance and result," said Allison. "To be honest over the past few years, I've struggled with my game, but I have re-dedicated myself to the sport and love playing again. I trained very hard for this event, and feel that my confidence is back, so this great finish was confirmation that I'm on track. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming events because I feel that I'm hungry again and my best games are still yet to come."
 
For Xiao-Fang Fu, it is a coming of age for the young Chinese woman's player pursuing a career in pool.