Ko Ping-yi retains TE Capital APP 9-Ball title against Philippines’ wunderkind Albert Manas

SINGAPORE – Against a fearless and fast-playing opponent less than half his age, Taiwanese pool pro Ko Ping-yi admitted he was rattled when he trailed Philippine teenager Albert Manas 3-0 in the TE Capital APP 9-Ball final on Dec 3.

But the years of out-of-the-box training his father put him through during his formative years helped him retrain his focus swiftly as he claimed 13 of the next 16 frames to win 13-6, retain his title and pocket the $15,000 cheque at the Aspire Recreation Centre at HarbourFront Centre.

The 34-year-old, who as a boy was made to stare down the unblinking honour guards at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, and play at his father’s pool hall with music on full blast and without air-conditioning in the summer, told The Straits Times: “My game was a mess at first because my opponent plays very fast and I found myself playing at his pace.

“Maybe this is where my father’s methods and my experience kicked in and I was able to condition myself to play my normal game again.”

Ko had only a short rest after his 11-3 demolition of Filipino Marvin Asis in the semi-finals, while Albert, 16, had time for a longer break after a tense 11-9 victory over compatriot Jonas Magpantay.

But after his blistering start in the final, Albert’s inexperience told as he started missing straightforward shots while Ko managed to overcome bad luck in which he scratched off the break thrice to put himself back in contention.

Cutting a forlorn figure in his seat, Albert removed his glove after Ko made a delightful bank shot for the 2-ball, and stood up to shake the champion’s hand when the final 9-ball looked a formality.

Despite the scoreline, Ko hailed his opponent as one for the future, and insisted that the scrawny kid with braces and fake diamond studs is the real deal.

The former world champion said: “He is making the final at half my age. He has the talent, he is accurate and plays his own style of pool. He has all the makings of a future world champion if he continues to work on his game and build his big-match temperament.”

Albert, who started playing the sport at his grandfather’s pool hall at age seven, made headlines when he beat his idol and Philippine legend Efren Reyes 8-5 at the MassKara Billiards Tournament in October 2022.

His hot form continued when he won the Hanoi Junior Open Pool Championship in October, and in Singapore, he lost 9-8 to Taiwanese Tang Ching-ting in his first match, but fought his way up from the losers’ bracket to make it to the last 32.

Albert then pulled off a huge 10-4 upset over local favourite Aloysius Yapp, who described him as “decisive and confident”, before overcoming seasoned pros such as Vietnamese pair Luong Duc Thien and Bui Truong An to make the last four.

After cashing in for $7,000, he said: “I’m happy to make my first senior final but I’m not satisfied because I made so many mistakes in the middle of the match.

“Beating my No. 1 idol Efren Reyes was one of the best days of my life and gave me many opportunities. I want to work hard and be a world champion one day like Ko Ping-yi.

“But for now, I have to go back to school tomorrow,” added the San Roque High School Grade 11 student with a grin.

Ko, meanwhile, will stay in Singapore with his brothers – Ping-chung, 28, who reached the quarter-finals, and Ping-han, 25, who made the last 32 – before returning home on Dec 5.

He said: “It is a good end to the season. My aim for the next season would be to do better than Ping-chung. He had a great 2023 in which he won four titles, including the US Open, so if I can do better than him, it would mean a great year for me too.”