World's best due for Phl 10-Ball

MANILA, Philippines - The world’s leading players will vie in the Philippine Open 10-Ball Pool Championships slated April 7-11, ensuring a top-notch competition in both the men’s and ladies divisions at SM Megamall.

Newly crowned world 8-ball champion Dennis Orcollo, former world titlists Ralf Souquet, Darren Appleton and Thorsten Hohmann, and defending Philippine Open champion Ricky Yang of Indonesia have confirmed participation in the event.

Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, the recently crowned world 10-ball champion, heads the cast in the distaff side that includes world No. 1 Ga Young Kim of Korea, No. 2 Allison Fisher of Great Britain, No. 5 Kelly Fisher of Great Britain and Filipina teenage sensation Gillian Go.

The other leading players in the WPA (World Pool Association) ranking system and continental organizations, such as the Billiards Congress of America (BCA), the European Pocket Billiards Federation (EPBF), and the Asian Pocket Billiards Union (APBU) are seeing action in the tournament, a world-ranking event of the WPA.

It will be broadcast internationally with ESPN to telecast the event in all its Asian channels. ABC 5, on the other hand, will produce and provide the local TV coverage.

The men’s championship will have 64 players in the main draw while the women’s side will feature 32 players.

The event will use a double-elimination format, which culminates in the crossover semifinals and finals phases. The total prize fund is $170,000, including $100,000 in the men’s championship with the champion getting $30,000. The winner in the women’s side will receive $20,000.

Under the WPA system, players earn their spots in the tournament through their world ranking and by being selected by their continental federations.

A number of tournament spots can also be secured through the qualifying tournament to be staged a week before the main event. Over 50 players have registered for the qualifiers.

Others expected to see action are Ruslan Chinakhov and Konstantin Stepanov of Russia, Robbi Fioldvari of Australia, Jason Klatt of Canada, Vincent Facquet of France, Jonni Fulcher of Scotland, Marcus Chamat of Sweden, Ko Ping Chun and Chang Jung Lin of Chinese Taipei, Naoyuki Oi and Lo Li Wen of Japan, Nguyen Phuc Long of Vietnam, Bashar Hussain and Mohd Al Bin Ali of Qatar, Rafath Habib and Sundeep Gulati of India, Chen Keng Kwang and Desmond Goh Teck of Singapore, Kenny Kwok and Bobby Lee of Hong Kong, Ahmad Taufiq and Md Alias Bin Rashid of Brunei.

The other fancied players in the ladies category are Julie Kelly and Monica Webb of the US, Naomi Williams and Veronique Menard of Canada, Helena Benjamin of Sweden, Mirika Poikkiokki of Finland, Karen Corr of Ireland, Line Kjorsvik of Norway and Ine Jenstchura of Germany, Choiu Chi-Yu of Chinese Taipei, Fu Xiao-Fang and Chen Siming of China, Angeline Ticoalu of Indonesia, Suniti Damani of India and Yu Ram Cha of Korea.