▁as ▁runner - up . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁competition , ▁Jay ▁Bo zem an , ▁said ▁" We ' ve ▁found ▁it ▁hard ▁to ▁believe ▁that ▁a ▁woman ▁could ▁actually ▁step ▁into ▁the ▁best ▁bill i ard ▁championship ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁and ▁hold ▁her ▁own . ▁Miss ▁K ats ura ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁fin est ▁players ▁I ' ve ▁faced ▁in ▁a ▁world ' s ▁tournament , ▁while ▁Wel ker ▁C och ran , ▁five - time ▁holder ▁of ▁the ▁Bill i ards ▁World ▁Crown , ▁predicted : ▁" G iven ▁another ▁two ▁or ▁three ▁years ▁of ▁American ▁competition ▁and ▁she ▁will ▁be ▁the ▁world ' s ▁champion .... ▁Mas ako ▁has ▁opened ▁a ▁new ▁field ▁for ▁women . ▁Her ▁presence ▁has ▁made ▁the ▁game ▁attract ive ▁to ▁women ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁She ▁has ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁a ▁man ▁and ▁stro kes ▁beautiful ly . ▁Her ▁man eu vers ▁with ▁the ▁c ue ▁ball ▁are ▁fant astic . ▁All ▁she ▁needs ▁is ▁a ▁bit ▁more ▁experience ▁and ▁she ▁will ▁be ▁un be atable ." ▁ ▁Ex hib ition ▁t ours ▁ ▁So on ▁after ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁championship , ▁C och ran ▁announced ▁he ▁was ▁coming ▁out ▁of ▁a ▁seven - year ▁ret irement ▁to ▁play ▁an ▁exhibition ▁tour ▁with ▁K ats ura . ▁" Mill ions ▁of ▁fans ▁want ▁to ▁see ▁this ▁char ming ▁first ▁lady ▁of ▁bill i ards " ▁he ▁said , ▁" now ▁some ▁of ▁them ▁can ." ▁The ▁du o ▁preview ed