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Headstring News
Corr Wins First Challenge of Champions
Nov 2, 2006, 4:49 PM
Karen Corr had been close to this winning the International Challenge of Champions many times in the past, but finally her year came. After defeating defending champion Ga-Young Kim in the final of this year's event, held Nov. 1 at the Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Conn., she can finally mark the $25,000 title off of her to-do list.
In the first match of the day, Corr took on Kelly Fisher. Fisher started out strong, taking a 2-0 lead, but was then forced to sit and spectate as Corr won five straight games to win the first set. The second set started close with the players tied at 2-2. Fisher took a brief lead at 3-2, but Corr won the next three games to win the set, 5-3.
The second match of the day featured Kim taking on No. 1- ranked Allison Fisher. The first set was all-Fisher, as she never reliquished control and won, 5-1. That dominating play from Fisher abandoned her in the second set, however. Kim led the match, 3-2, when Fisher scratched to allow her to run out to a 4-2 lead. A table run in the next rack brought Fisher back to 4-3, but a miss on the 5 ball by Fisher in the next game was all that Kim needed to win the set.
In the sudden death tie-breaker, Kim won the lag, but came up dry on her break. Fisher missed the 2 ball, leaving Kim a shot, but Kim failed to contact it and gave Fisher ball in hand. Ordinarily, that would have been the end of it, but FIsher left herself hooked on the 5 ball. Fisher kicked to contact the 5, and got a good leave forcing Kim to jump a ball to contact the 5. Kim hit it, but left Fisher a shot. Both players traded mistakes back and forth, but it came down to Fisher missing a bank shot on the 8, when Kim was finally able to put the match away.
In the final match between Corr and Kim, the first set was close all the way. The players tied at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3 before Corr took control and won the last two games for the 5-3 win.
The second set saw Corr take an early 2-0 lead, but Kim fought back and won three straight games to take the lead 3-2. Corr won the next three games for the 5-3 win and her first Challenge of Champions title.
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