Four Filipinos reach World Pool Last 32

MANILA, Philippines - Former World 9-ball and 8-ball champion Ronnie Alcano and three other Filipino bets reached the round of 32 of the World 8-Ball Pool Championship at the Fujairah Exhibition Center in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates yesterday.

Alcano disposed of Shaker Wahdan, 9-2, in their round-of-64 clash to advance to the next round together with other Filipino pool masters in Joven Alba, Antonio Lining and Oliver Medinilla.

Alba, a Filipino house pro in the Middle East, sustained his hot charge, pulling the rug from under Efren “Bata” Reyes, 9-5.

Lining and Medinilla, who topped their respective group play matches, took a bye at the start of single knockout affair.

“I’ll do my best to bring the World 8-ball championship back to the Philippines,” said Alcano, set to face another former World 9-ball ruler Oliver “The Machine” Ortmann in the next round.

Ortmann reached the round of 32 after a 9-2 win over Mhd Abdulmohsen Alhazmi.

Alba next plays either Konstantin Stepanov or Raj Hundal.

Lining goes up against Carlo Dalmatin while Medinilla tangles with either Daryl Peach or Vilmos Foeldes in the Round of 32.

Also advancing in the next phase were Alok Kumar who crushed Kuo Po Cheng, 9-4, Takhti Zarekani who edged Thorsten Hohmann, 9-8, Shane Van Boening who beat Phuc Long Nguyen, 9-7, and Huidje See who nipped Marcus Chamat, 9-7.

Vincent Facquet, Chang Jun Lin, Karl Boyes, Nick Van Den Berg, Basher Hussain and 2009 World 10-ball ruler Darren Appleton were also seeded into the last 32.