Gabica gains, Reyes falls in world 9-ball

MANILA, Philippines - Former Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Gabica put on a strong finish to beat Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Tuan, 11-8, but former world champion Efren “Bata” Reyes absorbed a stinging 5-11 setback to Nick Van der Berg of the Netherlands in the knockout stages of the World 9-ball Championship in Doha, Qatar last night. 

Gabica took four of the last five racks to shatter a 7-all count and win their race-to-11, alternate break format match for a Last 32 clash with German Oliver Ortmann, who trounced Chang Jung Lin of Chinese Taipei, 11-6, in their own side of the duel at the Al Arabi Sports Club.

Reyes, who dropped his first assignment, 5-9 to Hsu Kai Lun, but rebounded by nipping Korean Jeong Young Hwa and American Shaun Wilke via the same scoreline, 9-4, never recovered from a struggling start and bowed to the Dutch ace.

Meanwhile, Dennis Orcollo dispatched Iranian Majid Gharehgozlou, 9-1, in his first match then tripped Polish Tomasz Kaplan 9-4, in the double-elimination group stages to sail into the knockout phase of the $250,000 tournament.

Also through after the double-elimination group stages were Lee Van Corteza, Marlon Manalo, Carlo Biado, Jeff de Luna, Ramil Gallego, Antonio Gabica, Fil-Canadian Alex Pagulayan, and little known bets Marlon Villanueva, Israel Rota, Mark Antony and Raymund Faraon.

In a shocking development, however, Bustamante failed to join his compatriots in the Last 64.

Bustamante bowed to Portuguese Manuel Gama in his first outing, 6-9, and blew his chance to salvage a spot to the knockout phase after yielding a 6-9 setback to German Thorstenn Homann, 9-6, in the loser’s bracket.

Corteza, the reigning China Open titlist, rebounded from a sorry 8-9 loss to Albanian Nick Malaj in the group stage by turning back Kuwaiti Salah Al-Rimawi in the loser’s side, 9-4, to advance.

Manalo prevailed over Polish Mateusz Sniegocki, 9-4, to make up for his 1-9 defeat to Kuwaiti Omar Al-Shaheen in his second outing and reach the Last 64.

Biado racked up successive victories over Qatari Saleh Ameen, 9-4, and Canadian Jason Klatt, 9-7, for his spot in the next phase.

Pagulayan recovered from his 7-9 setback to Mario He in the second match with a 9-3 dispatching of Chinese Han Hao Xiang, to go through.