By MARK REY MONTEJO
Johann Chua and Jefrey Roda humbled their respective rivals to set up an all-Filipino clash in the Round-of-16 in the 2024 US 9-Ball Open Championship at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey Friday, Aug 23 (Manila Time).
Chua was nothing short of magnificent as he blanked Japanese Naoyuki Oi, 10-0, before downing American Jeremy Jones, 10-6, in Round of 64 and 32, respectively, en route to the last 16 bout against Roda, who is playing for the first time on American soil.
Chua, the 2023 World Cup of Pool champion, is aching to redeem himself after heartbreaking defeats from his previous outings including his Euro finals loss to Denmark’s Mickey Krause.
Roda, on the other hand, decimated Polish Wiktor Zielinski (10-2) then survived compatriot Jeffrey Ignacio in their hill-hill collision (10-9) to inch closer to the grand winner’s purse of $50,000 (roughly P2.8 million) in the 256-field competition.
Michael Baoanan likewise barged into Round-of-16 after disarming German Ralf Souquet (10-8) and fellow Filipino Lee Vann Corteza (10-7).
He set up a daunting round-of-16 task in two-time World Pool Masters champion Spanish David Alcaide.
Though Chua, Roda and Baoanan are already assured of P250,000 each, their main goal is to become the fourth Filipino to win the prestigious tourney after the legendary Efren “Bata” Reyes (1994), Fil-Canadian Alex Pagulayan (2005), and Carlo Biado (2021).
Biado was the biggest casualty for the day after yielding to American tSkyler Woodward, 10-7, in the final 32.
Prior to his elimination, the 2017 world 9-ball champion collected the scalps of Lithuania’s Pijus Labutis (10-4), Venezuela’s Jerry Arvelaez (9-1), and USA’s Robert Hart (9-1).
Marvin Asis, Michael Feliciano, and Bernie Regalario were annihilated as well.
A new king will be crowned in this year’s edition as defending champ Ko Ping-Chung of Chinese Taipei was kicked out by American Fedor Gorst, 10-6, in the last 64.
