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U.S. Open: Moving Day
Oct 22, 2010, 3:29 PM

CHESAPEAKE, Va. -- After surviving a 14-match march through the one-loss bracket to win his second straight U.S. Open title last year, Mika Immonen has apparently learned his lesson. The reigning Player of the Year is one of four unbeaten players remaining in this year's 256-player field.

Immonen, who recently finished second at the World 14.1 Championship, survived a hill-hill scare against Gabe Owen, before topping Taiwan's Lo Li-Wen.

"I'm feeling very comfortable in here," Immonen said after dispatching Lo. "It's a lot better than last year, playing constantly. Now I get to rest."

In the winners-side semifinal, Immonen will face the surprise of the tournament, Jason Klatt. The 24-year-old has been an up-and-coming player for a number of years. But the lanky Canadian appears to have made major progress in the past 12 months.

"I've been playing more international events. I've been trying to get that seasoning, to play all these guys," he said moments after topping Ralf Souquet, 11-10.

In that match, Klatt cleared a gutsy final rack after Souquet scratched on the break.

The other semifinal will match Spain's David Alcaide against former World 10-Ball king Darren Appleton. Meanwhile, on the losers-side bracket, Shane Van Boening has been gathering steam after losing his opening match.

"I almost prefer the losers bracket," Van Boening said. "I'm getting in stroke and playing constantly."

The 2007 titlist has won 10 straight, including an 11-8 win over Johnny Archer. Van Boening will face 2001 champ Corey Deuel this evening.

In other one-loss action, Thorsten Hohmann will square off against Rodney Morris; Francisco Bustamante, just inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame last evening, will face Souquet; and Warren Kiamco, the lone Filipino left in the tournament, will face Lo.