By MARK REY MONTEJO
Filipino cue master Carlo Biado yielded to Bulgaria’s Georgi Georgiev, 10-6, in the first round of the 2024 Jacoby Scottish Open at the McGoldrick’s Pool & Sports Bar in Glasgow, United Kingdom on Friday, May 3.
The 40-year-old Biado saw himself trailing big in the race-to-10 matchup with Georgiev preserving a 9-5 lead and advancing to the second round of the week-long tournament which has a €33,800 (roughly P2 million) prize fund.
Despite the loss, the SEA Games multi-medalist still has the chance to redeem himself as he is relegated to the losers’ bracket where he must win over crowd favorite James Delvin and four other hopefuls to earn a trip to Round of 16.
It was a tight affair between the two in the opening minutes of the 104-player field as Biado banked on his veteran poise and went back-and-forth with his Bulgarian rival until they were tied at 2-all.
That was the closest Biado could reach as Georgiev brought his A-game by taking four straight racks for a 6-2 lead. The latter had the opportunity for a comfortable 7-2 breakaway but he miscued the 6-ball in the 9th rack which resulted in the former regaining possession.
With that error, Biado, who ruled the 2024 WPA men’s world 10-Ball, took three consecutive racks to cut the deficit to just one, 6-5.
Though it looked like the momentum had shifted to Biado’s side, Georgiev bounced back and took a 9-5 lead, an insurmountable deficit and enough for the Bulgarian to meet New Zealand’s Sullivan Clark in the next round.
Meanwhile, another PH bet Michael Feliciano withdrew in the tilt after his UK visa came out late.
However, Feliciano and Biado will join hands for the UK Open Pool Championship in Telford, England next week.
