Sunday, May 15, 2011

See whips Fu, tops World 10-Ball

MANILA---Huidji See of The Netherlands joined the WPA World 10-Ball Championship Tuesday with little expectations.

By the end of the tournament five days later, he walked away with the championship trophy and the biggest purse of his career.

Flashing nerves of steel, the 29-year-old naturalized Dutchman of Chinese origins overcame Fu Jianbo of China, 11-8, yesterday in a finals match devoid of the usual hometown cheering at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Fu earlier halted Filipino Carlo Biado’s remarkable run with a 9-5 victory to set up the finals duel with See, who eliminated Yukio Akakariyama of Japan, 9-6, in the other semifinal duel.

See, who won $60,000 (about P2.7 million) duplicated the feat of fellow Europeans Darren Appleton of England, who ruled the inaugural edition in 2008, and Mika Immonen of Finland, who topped the event two years ago.

“This is like a dream (winning a world championship),” said the soft-spoken See, the winner of the US Open 10-Ball title four years ago.

“I knew that I could play well but to really execute it is just great. Hopefully this will turn my career around,” added See, who grew up in Arnhem.

See quietly climbed out of the losers’ bracket, eliminating German Ralf Soquet, 9-4, to reach the knockout phase.

“Beating Ralf gave me the confidence that I could beat everyone else,” said See.

After bundling out top Filipino bets like World No. 1 Antonio Lining, world champion Dennis Orcollo and Ronnie Alcano in the earlier rounds, Biado looked poised to go all the way.

But admittedly pressured by the enormity of the occasion, the La Union ace made two early errors in the semifinals, allowing Fu to zoom to an 8-1 lead.

“I felt the pressure since I was the only Filipino left,” said Biado, who eliminated Orcollo, 9-4, Saturday night. “I really wanted to win for the country.”

Fu advanced against Biado by ousting Lee Van Corteza, 9-8.

Biado hardly slept on the eve of the semifinal and needed time to settle down.

Written by Cedelf P. Tupas and lifted without permission from the Phil. Daily Inquirer

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Immonen Falls, Orcollo, Alcano Sustains Form

MANILA---Filipino top guns Dennis Orcollo and Ronnie Alcano continued their stirring runs with lopsided victories yesterday in a WPA World Ten-Ball Championship that was thrown wide open with the ouster of defending champion Mika Immonen at the World Trade Center.


Orcollo, the reigning World 8-ball titlist, overwhelmed Mario Morra of Canada, 9-4, to reach the last 32, while Alcano, the former double world champion, flashed his old ruthless form to turn back compatriot Demothenes Pulpul, 9-2.

“I feel good about my game, especially my breaks,” said Alcano, whose performance dipped after winning the world titles in 9-ball and 8-ball in the space of less than six months four years ago.

The two Filipinos were joined in the final 32 by upstart Carlo Biado, who toppled countryman Roberto Gomez, 9-6, and former World 10-ball losing finalist Lee Van Corteza, who ousted Lu Hui Chan of Chinese-Taipei, 9-5.

Immonen got the ax from Tomoo Takano of Japan, a survivor of the five-day qualifying event which produced 10 final
slots to the tournament.

Takano prevailed, 9-7, after Immonen missed an easy shot on the orange-five.

Biado, who enjoyed a solid run in the Philippine Open 10-Ball Championship last month, refused to wilt despite falling into an early 0-3 hole, winning the fourth to eighth rack to seize control.

A former caddie, the 27-year-old Biado was rewarded with a last 32 date with Alcano, who raced to a 7-0 lead against Pulpul.

Antonio Gabica, the former Asian Games gold medalist, absorbed a heart-breaking 8-9 loss to unheralded Manuel Pereira of Portugal.

Gabica’s loss stung the most.

Already on the hill in the 15th rack, Gabica lost a safety battle before Pereira broke and ran out the last two frames.

Written by Cedelf P. Tupas and lifted without permission from Philippine Daily Inquirer

Orcollo 2 Other Filipino Cue Masters Reach Sweet 16 of World 10 Ball

SEVERAL minutes later after Carlo Biado and Lee Vann Corteza triumphed, reigning WPA World 8-ball champion Dennis Orcollo also made it to the Sweet 16 of the WPA World Ten Ball Championships at the World Trade Center in Roxas, Boulevard, Pasay City on Saturday.

Orcollo, top player of sportsman/businessman Ceferino "Perry" Mariano ng Bugsy Promotions beat Karl Boyes of Great Britain, 9-7. Biado earlier beat Ronnie Alcano, the former WPA World 9-ball and 8-ball champion in the round-of-32 yesterday, as Corteza hammered Hao Xiang Han of China, 9-4.

Other players who made it into the round-of-16 are Chris Melling and Daryl Peach of Great Britain, Yukio Akakayarima and Tomoo Takano of Japan, Chang Yu-lun of Chinese-Taipei, Jason Klatt of Canada, Fu Jian Bo and Wu Jiaqing of China and Tony Drago of Malta.

Melling routed Manuel Pereira of Portugal, 9-4, Peach dealt Shane Van Boening of the USA, 9-6, Akakayarima walloped Sascha-Andrej Tege of Germany,9-7, Takano upset former WTBC champ Darren Appleton of Great Britain, 9-5, Chang toppled Johnny Archer of the USA, 9-7, Klatt routed Alok Kumar of India, 9-7, Fu crushed Liu Cheng-chieh of Chinese-Taipei, 9-3,Wu beat Liwen Lo of Japan, 9-8, and Drago defeated Oliver Ortmann of Germany, 9-6. MARLON BERNARDINO

World Ten Ball: Orcollo, Alcano, Biado Advance

FILIPINO pool masters Dennis Orcullo, Ronato Alcano and Carlo Biado scored contrasting victories at the start of the Knockout Stage to advance into the Last 32 of the 2011 World Ten Ball Championships yesterday at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

Orcullo routed Mario Morra of Canada, 9-4, while Alcano and Biado won convincingly against fellow Filipino pool players.

Alcano thrashed Demosthenes Pulpul, 9-2, while Biado defeated Roberto Gomez, 9-6.

Aside from Pulpul and Gomez, the other Pinoy cue artists who failed to advance in the Last 32 were Jeffrey de Luna, Jonas Magpantay, Antonio Gabica and Venancio Tanio.

De Luna bowed to Ricky Yang of Indonesia, 3-9; Magpantay lost Lo Li Wen of China, 6-9; Gabica was edged by Manuel Pereira of Portugal, 8-9; and Tanio was defeated by Shane Van Boening of the United States, 7-9.

Currently playing as of press time yesterday were Lee Vann Corteza, Marvin Tapia, Jericho Banares and Jundel Mazon. — Marlon Bernardino