Our roving reporter in Jakarta, Kelvin Leong, talks about the universe and its mystical effects on the 9ball tour.

Destiny.

The one single word that befits the best 9-ball tournament in Asia.

Chang Jung-Lin winning three legs on this year's Tour to write his name into history alongside Efren Reyes.

Alex Pagulayan winning the 2008 Singapore leg after going through a year long slump since he won the 2007 leg in the Lion City.

WPA No.1 ranked player, Dennis Orcollo finally avenging his previous losses to Yang Ching Shun on the way to claiming the title in Guangzhou.

It seems to have been written in the stars when it comes to the Guinness 9-Ball Tour.

And the Grand Finals in Jakarta has followed suit, with two semifinal match-ups between Chinese-Taipei and the Philippines.

Ask any pool fan and they will tell you that the biggest games in Asia are the ones involving these two nations.

The intense rivalry between the two pool giants has been brewing all throughout this year's Tour, and what better way to cap it all off then to witness another two epic battles in the making between the two nation's top players.

Alex Pagulayan (PHI) vs Wu Chia Ching (TPE)

Wu Chia Ching made it into the final four threw a draw pick with Antonia Gabica after both players were tied on points with each winning three games while chalking up a similar 41 racks won/35 racks lost total.

The 10-Ball World Championships runner-up, was not his usual self in the preliminaries and was shockingly defeated by Ibrahim Bin Amir.

He barely held his nerves going into the final game against local bet, Ricky Yang and managed to notch up to jump into joint-second alongside Gabica.

Interestingly enough, Gabica left the draw pick to his wife while Wu decided to pick the card himself.

Luckily for Wu, he picked the right one and will now face Alex ‘The Lion' Pagulayan in the first semifinal.

Pagulayan did enough in the preliminary round by defeating Wang Hung Hsiang (9-8), Ryu Seung Woo (9-2) and Chang Jung-Lin (9-5).

Lauded for his mastering of the soft-break on this Tour, he has made his trademark with many of the players even trying to use a similar break pattern after witnessing the Filipino's success on his breaks.

Pagulayan who has had a turn of fortunes since taking home the Singapore title will be determined to send Wu packing in order to setup an all-Filipino final if Dennis Orcollo manages to outwit his nemesis, Yang Ching Shun.

Dennis Orcollo (PHI) vs Yang Ching Shun (TPE)

How apt it will be, that Asia's two ‘money game kings' Orcollo and Yang will meet again in the Grand Finals.

The two pool masters have been slugging it out on the tables throughout this tournament, with Yang gaining the upper hand in Penang when he knocked Orcollo out of the running with a 9-7 win before Orcollo avenged his defeat by sending Yang home in the Guangzhou leg semifinals.

Orcollo sailed into the final four by winning against compatriot, Alex Pagulayan (9-7), Ryu Seung Woo (9-5) and Wang Hung Hsiang (9-8).

The WPA World No.1 ranked player, has carried over his great form from the Guangzhou leg where he emerged victorious and will now be one of four players, vying for the top prize of US$36,000.

Yang's march into the semis, was even more impressive, with four wins under his belt when he knocked out, Joven Bustamante, Antonia Gabica, Ibrahim Bin Amir and Ricky Yang.

For a player accustomed to winning at least one leg of the Tour, this has been an unusually quiet year for him.

He failed to make it into the finals on all five legs and never seemed comfortable with the new rules on the Tour.

But if there is one man amongst the four who has the pedigree to take home the title of Grand Champion, he is the one.

Remember the old saying?

Saving the best for the last.

It might just be the perfect end for the Taiwanese bet.

So will kismet continue to show the way or will one of these four semifinalists buck the trend and take destiny into his own hands?

Only one way to find out.

26 Oct 2008
Semifinals
Alex Pagulayan vs Wu Chia Ching
Dennis Orcollo vs Yang Ching Shun

Don't miss it for the world!