Corteza rules China 9-ball Open

By: Marlon Bernardino

Filipino Lee Vann Corteza mastered Taiwanese Fu Che-wei, 11-6, to pocket the 2013 China 9-Ball Open crown at the Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium arena in Shanghai, China on Sunday.

Corteza, a former two-time National Open champion bagged the $40,000 purse while Fu settled for $20,000.

Corteza marched to the finals after beating Omar Al-Shaheen of Kuwait, 11-3, in the semifinals while Fu trounced Wu Jiaqing of China, 11-8,  in the other semis encounter.

China 9-Ball Open: Pagulayan reach pool KO stage

Alex "the Lion" Pagulayan moved on to the last-32 stage of the 2013 China 9-Ball Open at the Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium arena in Shanghai, China.

The top player of Puyat Sports Pagulayan, the 2004 WPC champ, defeated Kenny Kwok of Hongkong, 9-5, and led the march to the knockout stages.

Also advancing to the next stage are Ryu Seungwoo of Korea, who brought down Ke Bign Zhong of Chinese-Taipei; Salah Alriwani of the United Arab Emirates, who subdued Nguyen Ann Tuan of Vietnam, 9-5; Fu Che Wei of Chinese-Taipei, who dealt Dang Jinhu of China, 9-2; Li Hewen of China, who nipped John Morra of Canada and Afrinneza Isral Nasution of India, who edged Jeffrey de Luna of the Philippines, 9-8.

Other notable cue masters seeing action in the China meet are Dennis Orcollo, Carlo Biado, Lee Van Corteza, Johann Gonzales Chua and Rubilen Amit for the distaff side.                                             
  - Marlon Bernardino-

Filipino Lee Van Corteza scores back-to-back wins in China 9-Ball Open

Filipino Lee Van Corteza scored back-to-back wins in the 2013 China 9-Ball Open in Shanghai, China.

His latest victory was against Naoyuki Oi of Japan, 9-3, in Group G. The Davao City native Corteza, earlier beat Marcus Chamat of Sweden, 9-5, in the first round. His next opponent against Cheng Chieh Liu of Chinese-Taipei, who brought downed compatriots Ying Chieh Chen, 9-6, and Fu Che-wei, 9-7, respectively.

Also with two wins were Kenny Kwok of Singapore and Thorsten Hohmann of Germany in Group A; Chang Jung-lin and Lu Hui Chan of Chinese-Taipei in Group B; Liu Wei and Wang Can of China in Group C; Yukio Akagariyama of Japan and Fu Jian Bo of China in Group D; Nick Ekonomopoulous of Greece and Dang Jin Hu of China in Group E and Jason Klatt of Canada and Yang Ching-shun of Chinese-Taipei in Group F.

In other Filipino results, Alex Pagulayan beat Carlo Biado, 9-7, but bowed to Dang Jin Hu, 9-4, in the next round in Group E. Dennis Orcollo was yielded to Andreas Gerwen of Luxembourg, 9-8, but bounced back in contention after edging Nick van den berg of the Netherlands, 9-7, in Group F.

Biado will meet Ko pin-yi of Chinese-Taipei, who lost to Nick Ekonomopoulous, 9-3. Ko, earlier beat Mike Dechaine of the USA, 9-2. Pagulayan, meantime goes up against Hus Kai Lun of Chinese-taipei while Orcollo versus Wang Ming of China.

Iris Ranola subdued Jiang Teng, 7-2, in the first match but was succumbed to Chen Siming and Charlene Chai Huey, in similar ,7-4, loses in Group H. However, countryman Rubilen Amit lost her first match to Wu Zhi Ting, 7-5, and prevailed her second match to Wei-Tzu-Chien, 7-2, in Group A.    -Marlon Bernardino