Lely Melts Iceman

Alex Lely 8 – 6 Mika Immonen

In a gripping first round encounter, Holland’s Alex Lely edged out Mika Immonen of Finland in a match where both players’ fortunes ebbed and flowed. The final score was 8 – 6 but the pair of them had plenty of chances throughout.

It was Immonen who took the honours in the early stages as he built up a 3 – 0 lead without his opponent visiting the table but Lely, the reigning European 9-ball Champion, fought back as he took the fourth rack after a lengthy safety exchange as Immonen was forced to push out off the break.

Four balls down on the next break gave Lely the opportunity to clear and in the next a fabulous kick off the bottom rail to pocket the 8 ball up the table, saved the situation for Lely and he deposited the 9 ball to achieve parity at 3 – 3.

The Dutchman ran out the next to take the lead and further increased it in the eighth rack after both players had missed attempts on the 9 ball.

A missed 1 ball in the next allowed Immonen back in and he cleared up to pull one back and a decent run out from the break levelled the proceedings at 5 – 5.

With the bit between her teeth Immonen took the next to regain the lead but luck deserted him in the twelfth rack when he had no shot on the lowest ball following the break. The safety wasn’t strong enough and Lely left him in a snooker.

The result was that Lely took the rack to go to the hill and a tough run in the next sealed the match for the Dutchman.