Fil-Swiss ace, pal outclass champs

MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Swiss Ronnie Regli created a stir in his Manila homecoming, displaying a steady game in partnership with Dimitri Jungo as they upset defending champions Fu Jianbo and Li Hewen, 8-4, in Day One of the 2011 World Cup of Pool at SM North EDSA Mall in Quezon City last night.

The Swiss pair, who needed to go through the qualifier, humbled the Chinese tandem and advanced to the second round versus the Swede duo of Marcus Chamat and Thomas Mehtala.

The Swedes fought back from a four-rack deficit and beat Indons Irsal Nasution and Ryian Setiawan in a thrilling hill-hill battle, 8-7.

Korea stopped the European blitzkrieg as Lee Gun Jae and Hwang Yong topped Spain’s David Alcaide and Francisco Diaz, 8-5.

Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante, making up Phl Team B, were to play Kuwait’s Khaled Al Mutaira and Omar Al Shaheen late last night.

Dennis Orcollo and Ronnie Alcano, who compose Phl Team A, take on Austrians Jasmin Ouschan and Mario He at 6 p.m. tonight.

With the Filipino top guns on the practice tables, the visiting Fil-Swiss put up a show for the cheering home crowd.

“It’s a dream of mine to play in a big event in the Philippines. The last time I was here was 11 years ago, but I’d never played here before,” said Regli.

“It’s amazing,” said Regli on being cheered on by the Filipinos.

Jungo was as calm and composed as Regli, making both tough to handle for the Chinese.

“We’re both players who can beat anybody on a good day and we have a good team spirit,” said Jungo.

The Chinese nailed the first two racks but the Swiss raced ahead, 4-2, and never looked back from there.

Still with a two-rack advantage at 6-4, Jungo and Regli finished off the Chinese by running out the 11th then pounding a miscue by Li on the next rack.

Pulling off a tougher trick were the Swedes.

“At 1-5 down, we weren’t thinking we were out but just wanted to see what we can do,” said Chamat, a regular in Manila tourneys.

“I’m relieved to get through. But if we play like this again, then we will be flying home soon,” Chamat added.

The Swiss and the Swedes play their second-round match tomorrow.