GOMEZ PLAYS PEACH FOR WPC FINALS

RP VERSUS ENGLAND IN WPC FINALS TODAY

LONE Filipino hopeful Roberto Gomez is one step closer to fame and
glory when he beat Englishman Karl Boyes, 11-4, in the semi-final
round to arrange a titular showdown with another Englishman Daryl
Peach, winner over former three-time World Junior Champion Vilmos
Foldes, 11-2, in the 2007 Philippine World Pool Championships last
night at the Big Dome.

Gomez and Peach, both neophytes in this prestigious World 9-Ball tournament
will clash for the top purse $100,000 in the event aired worldwide on
ESPN in the race-to-17 finals at 2:30 pm today.

Gomez earlier beat 2005 WPC runner-up Kuo Po-cheng of Taiwan, 11-4,
while Peach escaped a controversial 11-10 win against 2002 WPC
runner-up Francisco "Django" Bustamante.

The 28-year-old Gomez, who hails from Divisioria, Zamboanga won the
lag but suffered a dry break allowing Boyes to take the first rack.
Three more racks put Boyes on a 4-0 lead.

In the fifth frame, after trading defense of the two gladiators, Boyes
committed a scratch as Gomez clean up the table for the 1st rack.
Thus, Gomez never looked back clustering 11 consecutive racks
including a golden break in the 12th rack.

Gomez also became the first qualifier to advance in the finals. Taiwanese
Hui Kai-hsia made it to the quarter-final round in 2003 edition.

"Nang una ay naninibago ako sa table 2 at hindi umuubra 'yung
soft-break ko kaya naka 4-0 s'ya agad. Sa table 1 kasi ako palagi at
'dun p'wede y'ung soft-break kaya nag shift ako sa power break sa
table 2." Said Gomez, who swept the last year's group stage matches
including former US Open champion Corey Deuel but lost to compatriot
then eventual winner Ronato Alcano in a huge margin in the
round-of-64.

"Masayang-masaya ako pero nandito pa din 'yung pressure sa puso ko."
added the former ABS-CBN 2 Zamboanga field reporter.

Gomez said he will use soft-break today in TV table 1 matches against Peach.

Gomez won twice, here and abroad, winning the Manny Pacquiao 9-ball in
General Santos and Battle Scandinavia 9-ball in Oslo, Norway.

(Report from MARLON BERNARDINO)