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Fisher Pockets 5th U.S. Open Title
Jun 20, 2011, 10:00 AM

Fisher erased an early deficit in the final for a 7-4 victory.

For her first 13 years on the Women's Professional Billiard Association's Classic Tour, Allison Fisher collected titles at a seemingly impossible clip, averaging well more than four victories a year from 1996 to 2008. But just as quickly as Fisher began her domination on the women's tour — she won in her second appearance — the Hall of Famer couldn't find her way back to the winner's circle.

But after going just days under three years since her last win on the WPBA Classic Tour, Fisher returned to her familiar surroundings at last weekend's U.S. Open at the River Spirit Casino in Tulsa, Okla. Overcoming an earlier hill-hill loss to Ga Young Kim, she took a bit of revenge in a 7-4 championship-clinching victory over the Korean star.

Before Fisher made her way back to the final, though, she faced elimination in three consecutive matches. After losing to Kim just a match from advancing to the eight-player single-elimination bracket via the winners side, Fisher then battled Xiaoting Pan on the left-side. She trounced the Chinese star by a 9-3 count and sealed a spot in the quarterfinals.

In the shortened races to 7, Fisher then edged Kelly Fisher, 7-5, and Korean Cinderella Erica Park, 7-2, for a spot in the final. Kim, meanwhile, edged Vivian Villarreal, 7-5, and Jasmin Ouschan, 7-2.

From the start of the final, Kim established control by winning three of the first four racks. But after edging out to a 4-3 lead after Fisher tied the set, Kim saw her hopes for a fourth U.S. Open victory quickly vanish.

Fisher collected the next three racks to get on the hill, 6-4. With the break, she pocketed the 1 ball and was left with an angle on a 2-9 combination. She dropped the championship-clinching 9 without difficulty, ending her WPBA winless streak with her fifth U.S. Open title.