Matchroom Sport Press Release:
Rodney Morris (USA 
) 8 - 3 Thomas Engert (Germany 
)
DEFENDING CHAMPION Thomas Engert of Germany has been dumped out of the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters at the first hurdle, losing 8-3 to America’s Rodney Morris at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. The 42 year-old from Duren missed too many balls throughout, giving Morris ample opportunity which he capitalized on despite falling behind in the early stages.
“I played alright at the end of the match but the first couple of games were a bit dodgy. I’d put that down to nerves and the new cloth,” said Morris.
“I got my break going in the middle part of the match and opened up a big lead which put him under pressure. Thomas has beaten me the last three times I’ve played him and I was surprised he missed so many balls.”
Engert won the lag and deposited two balls with a fierce opening break. The German, though, was forced to play safe as he had no clear shot on the red 2. Morris then left him in a snooker and although he escaped, he left an open table for the American. Morris, though, made a bad miss on the 7 ball and Engert ran the last three balls to take the opening rack.
Both players had chances in the second rack but a very lengthy safety battle ensued on the 2 ball. Engert made the initial mistake as a 2/6 combination failed to drop, and from there Morris completed a confidence-boosting run out to level things.
A dry break from Morris gave the table to Engert but he was forced to push out. The American put him back in and he played safe. Morris fluked the 7 ball but was not able to capitalise on it. Engert then pocketed a 1/2 combination to set up a run out to regain the lead at 2-1.
A ball on the break kept Engert at the table but there was more safety which was finally unlocked by a rack-winning 2/9 combo from Morris to level at 2-2. The American then made two balls on the break and cleared the table to take the lead at 3-2.
Engert got back to the table in the next only for more safety but he failed to make contact with the 1 ball which gave Morris ball in hand. He pocketed the 1 ball to set up a deft 4/9 combination to increase his lead to 4-2. There was more joy for the American fans in the Riviera as Morris broke and ran the seventh to move into a 5-2 lead.
A miss on the 1 ball by Morris gave Engert a great opportunity to re-establish himself but he too missed the yellow 1. Morris made no mistakes as he cleared to take a four rack lead. Another miss on the 1 ball from Engert gifted the table to Morris and he quickly moved through the balls, culminating in a 7/9 combination, to move to the hill at 7-2.
A dry break from Morris – his second of the game – saw Engert come to the table and run out to reduce the deficit. Engert was forced to play safe on the 1 ball, but Morris made it before missing a difficult cut on the 2 ball. The German ran through the balls but undid all his good work as he missed the 8 ball leaving Morris two balls which he pocketed to win the match 8-3.
Morris now plays either Mark Gray or Alex Pagulayan in the quarter-finals.
Vist the official 2008 World Pool Masters website
