By MARK REY MONTEJO
Carlo Biado, Johann Chua and James Aranas ripped their respective rivals as 18 Filipinos advanced to the Last 64 of the Hanoi 9-Ball Open Pool Championship in Vietnam on Thursday, Oct. 10.
Showing why he’s the reigning WPA world 10-Ball and Ho Chi Minh 9-Ball champion, Biado outlasted Chinese Taipei’s Wang Chih-yung (9-4), Sun Yi Hsuan (9-6), and Spain’s Salvador Garcia (9-2) in the qualifying rounds to make it to the playoff round of the event.
Biado was battling Albania’s Besar Spahiu at presstime in the event offering $30,000 (roughly P1.7 million) for the champion.
Chua, for his part, was trading strokes against compatriot Jundel Manzon also at presstime, but prior to his entry in the knockout stage, he downed Vietnamese Luong Van Nam (9-5), Ta Van Linh (9-7) and Phuong Nam Pham (9-4).
Aranas was relegated to the losers’ bracket but managed to comeback with a 9-4 victory over Vietnam’s Do Van Khai to secure a Last 64 spot against world champion American Fedor Gorst.
The 2023 World Cup of Pool title holder humbled Singapore’s Aaron Leigh Ko, 9-4, and fellow Filipino Jesson Marabi, 9-6, in his first two games yet stumbled to another PH bet in Jefrey Roda, 9-5.
Other PH cue artists who made it to the Last 64 are Roda, Manzon, Jeffrey Ignacio, Raymund Faraon, Jerson Cumayos, Bernie Regalario, AJ Manas, Jaycee Cordova Garcia, Marvin Asis, Michael Baoanan, Lee Van Corteza, Roland Garcia, Harry Vergara, Michael Feliciano, and Patric Gonzales.
Aside from prize money and WNT points, the tournament also gives a third automatic qualifying spot for this year’s Mosconi Cup which starts November in Orlando, Florida.
