Pinoy cuemasters settle for second

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ Carlo Biado and AJ Manas wilted under tremendous pressure late while Spain’s Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and David Alcaide showed incredible poise in pulling off a 4-1, 0-4, 3-4, 4-1, 4-2 victory yesterday to rule the WPA Men’s Doubles 10-Ball World Championship at the Heritage Garden of the Bali International Convention Centre in Indonesia.

Tied two sets apiece and 2-2 with just three balls left in the fifth and deciding set, the Filipinos appeared headed to taking the rack and moving one frame from giving the Philippines another world title but Manas, a 19-year-old making his finals debut on the world stage, scratched the cue ball after sinking the 8-ball.

That proved to be costly as the Spaniards took the frame and then had a break-and-run in the next to claim the crown and the top purse worth $60,000.

The Filipinos settled for $37,000.

It was an unlucky break for the Filipinos especially Biado, who was hoping to collect another world crown to his vast collection of world titles that included two in 9-ball and one each in 10-ball, mixed team and US Open.

It would have also been Manas’ first world conquest.

It was just not meant to be.