Pinoy bets bow out of 8-ball finals

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino cue artists Jeffrey de Luna, Venancio Tanio and Joven Alba bowed to European rivals and kissed their hopes goodbye in the Etisalat WPA World 8-Ball Pool Championship 2010, marking the first time Filipinos were wiped out of the finals of a world tournament.

Russian Ruslan Chinakhov stopped the winning run of De Luna, 10-5, to advance to the finals of the tournament at the Fujairah Tennis Club in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. 

He will face Great Britain’s Karl Boyes who overcame giant-killer Tanio, 10-5, for the title worth $17,000.

Briton Darren Appleton edged out snooker specialist Joven Alba, 10-8, late Friday to deny the Filipinos a stint in the finals of a world tournament for the first time.