CORTEZA, 2 OTHERS ADVANCE TO THE FINAL 32; ORCOLLO FALLS IN WORLD 8-BALL
By Marlon Bernardino
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 16 Feb 2012
Lee Vann Corteza.
LEE VANN "The Slayer" Corteza, Carlo "The Black Tiger" Biado and Roberto "Pinoy Superman" Gomez of the Philippines made it to the Round-of-32 of the 2012 World 8-Ball Championship at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates yesterday.
Corteza, the two-time national open champion, who plays for the Negros Billiards Stable and JSY Sports of businessman Jonathan Sy, subdued Lee Chen Man of Hongkong, 9-2, in the Round-of-64, a single round, knockout format, which offered a whooping $156,000 total prize. The winner will receive $20,000 cash purse.
The Davao City native, who has set his sights on achieving every billiard player?s dream ? win a world title, will goes up against Nguyen Phoc Luong of Vietnam in the next round, who brought downed Amin Fekry of UAE, 9-8.
The La Union bet Biado, on the other hand ousted compatriot Elmer Haya, 9-2, while the Zamboanga City ace Gomez toppled Mario He of Austria, 9-4. Biado will meet Toru Kuribayashi of Japan, who dealt Tomasz Kaplan of Poland, 9-7, while Gomez will face Mark Gray of Great Britain, who crushed Maghsoud Ali of Iran, 9-3.
"Target kong makuha ang World crown (8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball) para makasama ko ?yung mga Filipino world champion," said Corteza, who is schedule to celebrate his 33th birthday on March 1 in a recent interview.
The multiple Southeast Asian Games gold medallist Corteza has won several big tournaments last year but still has to collect a legitimate world title.
Among his major victories last year were in the 2011 Golden Break 9-Ball Asian Invitational Championship, the San Miguel Beer Oktoberfest 9-Ball Open Masters, the Philippine Bigtime Billiards Face-Off and the Manny Pacquiao International 10-ball Championship.
His biggest achievement so far settling a runner-up finish with eventual champion Mika "The Iceman" Immonen of Finland during the 2009 World Ten Ball Championships was held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
Last Year World 8-ball titlist Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo dismantled Nasser Al Mujaibel of Kuwait, 9-5, in the Round-of-64, however failed to continued his winning run by losing to Karol Skowerski of Poland, 9-3, in the first of the round of 32 matches later in the evening.
The 28 year old Skowerski, who?s ranked number 4 in Poland, took a 5-0 lead in the race to 9, alternate break format. The Kielce native showed superb potting skills and was never intimidated even when Orcollo began a fight back.?I played well and I really concentrated well the whole match,? an obviously delighted Skowerski said after the match as he was congratulated by teammates Radoslaw Babica and Tomasz Kaplan, both of whom were eliminated earlier in the day. ?I wasn?t scared and I wasn?t nervous.? added Skowerski who joined Ko and Liu Haitao of China in the Round-of-16.
Ko, a two-time World Junior Champion, bested Raymund Faraon of the Philippines, 9-5, and Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, 9-2, respectively while Liu nipped Abdulatef Fawal of Qatar, 9-6, and Vilmos Foldes of Hungrary, 9-7, in order.
Also getting the boot were Joven Alba, Demosthenes Pulpul and Elvis Calasang. Alba was bowed to Ahmad Jallad of Jordan, 9-8, Pulpul was succumbed to Young Hwa of Korea, 9-8, and Calasang who was yielded to Yukio Akagariyama of Japan, 9-2, in the Round-of-64.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Marlon Bernardino.
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