MANILA, Philippines - Francisco “Django” Bustamante routed Oliver Ortmann of Germany, 11-2, and Ronnie Alcano bundled out Muhammad Zulfikri of India, 11-6, to lead seven other Filipinos into the second round of the knockout phase of the World Pool Championship in Doha, Qatar last Saturday.
But while Bustamante and the other RP bets gained, Efren “Bata” Reyes, Dennis Orcullo and Lee Vann Corteza fell by the wayside in stirring reversals in the Last 64.
Reyes, winner of the recent Spanish Open, dropped a heartbreaking 10-11 decision to Johnny Archer of the US; Orcullo bowed to Bruno Muratore of Italy, 8-11, while reigning US Open 10-ball champion Corteza lost to Tony Drago of Malta, 7-11.
Others who advanced were Jeffrey de Luna, who downed Chang Jung-lin of Chinese-Taipei, 11-9; Marlon Manalo, who beat Lu Hui Chan of Chinese-Taipei, 11-8; Antonio Lining, who routed Lee Poh Soon of Malaysia, 11-6; Francisco Felicilda, who booted out Bashar Hussain of Qatar, 11-7; Raymund Faraon, who eliminated Artem Koshovoj of Ukraine, 11-8; and Oliver Medenilla, who crushed Yukio Akakariyama of Japan, 11-9.