The hottest player in pro pool has showed no signs of cooling off.
Francisco Bustamante, the flamboyant star from Keil, Germany, by way of the Philippines, routed former champion Tommy Kennedy, 11-4, Saturday afternoon in a winner's bracket tilt at the 23rd U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in Chesapeake, Va. Bustamante, the leading point-earner on the Camel Pro Billiards Series, moves on to play Jimmy Wetch Saturday evening. Wetch held off Jose Garcia, 11-10 in another Saturday afternoon winner's-bracket match.
In other Saturday afternoon action, Nick Varner kept his hopes of a 13-match run to the final with a come-from-behind win over Japan's Kunji Tokora, 11-10. Varner, who lost his opening match in the 198-player event, trailed in the match, 9-2 and 10-4.
Also, Denmark's Peter F. Nielsen continued his impressive showing in the winner's bracket, trouncing Camel Series titlist George SanSouci, 11-5. The 25-year-old from Copenhagen also has an 11-4 win over Rudolfo Luat in the event.
Not to be outdone, Steve Mizerak advanced in the winner's bracket with a 11-10 win over Germany's Ralf Souquet.
Matches continue through Saturday evening, with the final slated for Sunday night.
A Dane At The Races
"Peter F." left an impression on "Ginky" in their winners-bracket match Saturday.
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In typically courteous Danish fashion, Peter Nielsen is quick to request the use of his middle initial when being announced at tournaments — or when being written about, for that matter.
"It's Peter F. Nielsen, please," says the 25-year-old computer science student from Copenhagen.
Officially, the "F" stands for Frank, but Nielsen isn't very fond of the name.
"In Denmark, Nielsen is as common as Smith in the United States," he says. "So I am simply known by 'Peter F.' That's the way I like to be called."
If Peter F. continues to play as he has through the first four rounds of the U.S.Open, he may enjoy being called "Champion." The lanky lefthander crushed recent Camel Series titlist George "Ginky" SanSouci, 11-5, to remain undefeated in the 198-man event in Chesapeake, Va. Earlier in the event, Nielsen posted similar whipping on Filipino Rudolfo Luat, beating the reigning world 9-ball champ 11-4. Nielsen awaits Buddy Hall, an 11-7 winner over Jimmy Reid.
"I've played everything in Denmark," says Peter F.. "I started playing Pin Billiards, similar to the Italian five-pin game. Then I played carom billiards and snooker, before settling on American pool."
With little competition in Denmark, Nielsen has dominated the country's pocket billiard championships, already totalling 20 national titles. He realizes, however, that travelling to European and American tournaments is necessary if he hopes to become an international champion.
"Of course, he says. "That is what I must do."
Or, maybe, it's the other way around!
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