CEBU, Philippines - Elmer Haya's fairytale run came to an end after he faltered at the hands of eventual champion Niels Feijen of The Netherlands in the semifinal round of the $200,000 WPA World 9-Ball Championship at the Al Saad Sports Club in Doha, Qatar.
Haya, the last man standing for the Philippine contingent in the week-long tournament featuring the best and brightest billiards players on the planet, paid dearly for missing a potential game-tying shot on the 14th rack. That proved too costly as it led him to a heart-breaking 11-7 defeat to Feijen.
The Butuan City-native shotmaker couldn't fulfill his date with history despite the backing of hundreds of overseas Filipino workers who came to cheer for him.
Haya actually figured in an air-tight duel with Feijen from the outset but blew his chances of pulling off a monumental win after he botched a simple 9 attempt in the side that could have tied the count at 7-7.
Feijen then capitalized on the opportunity to dash the title hopes of Haya, the surprise qualifier who can still hold his head up high for emerging as the best-placed Filipino finisher in the world's biggest 9-ball event.
Feijen went on to beat Austria’s Albin Ouschan, 13-10, to clinch the coveted championship and its $30,000 price tag.— EBV (FREEMAN)