Kristina Tkach
It had been close to a year since Russia’s Kristina Tkach had chalked up any recorded wins or even cash payouts, but it didn’t appear to have had a serious affect on her game. At a $1,500-added Ladies Open 9-Ball event, one of four events at the Michael Montgomery Memorial Tournament, Tkach was on the loss side early, won seven in a row and then double dipped Tara Williams to claim the event title. The $1,500-added Ladies event drew 32 entrants to Snookered in Frisco, TX. Separate stories will detail the results of the memorial tournament’s other three events, which began on Wednesday, January 27 and was scheduled to finish on Sunday night, January 31; a $5,000-added One Pocket event (12 entrants), a $2,000-added 10-ball Mini Tournament (16 entrants), both won by Dennis Orcollo, and a $7,500-added 9-Ball Tournament, which was still on-going as this report was being prepared.
Jalal Alsarisi, James Davee, Eric Smith and Jesus Atencio
They call Jordan’s Jalal Alsarisi “The Beast” and he landed in Arlington, TX last weekend (Jan. 23-24). Alsarisi battled his way to the hot seat of the Cuetec DFW 9-Ball Tour’s first 2021 stop at Rusty’s Billiards, winning nearly three out of every four matches he played to get there (70-26; 73%). Venezuela’s Jesus Atencio, though, came back from a loss in his winners’ side semifinal match to challenge The Beast and almost pulled it off, taking the opener of the true double elimination final and battling to double hill, before The Beast roared one more time and claimed the title. The $1,500-added event drew 94 entrants to Rusty’s.