THE stage is set for the Sharks International 9-Ball Open set July 24 to 29 at the Sharks Arena on Tomas Morato St. in Quezon City.
But the bigger picture is that organizers led by Hadley Mariano are hoping the $100,000 tournament will reopen the doors for bigger events to be staged in the country.
“This is our first international tournament after so many years,” Mariano said in yesterday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Rizam Memorial Sports Complex.
“And this is not a one-time deal. Sana maipasok natin ulit ang mga international tournaments. We’re looking at the Presidential Cup. Nasa planning stage na,” he added.
A total of 128 players, including 64 foreigners, will take part in the event that will use the Matchroom format of double-round eliminations leading to the 64-player knockout stage and the finals.
The winner gets $30,000 and the runner-up $15,000 all the way to the top 32 of the event being backed by the Quezon City government under Mayor Joy Belmonte, the Games and Amusements Board, and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Leading the Philippine charge are the best of the best, including the veterans led by Django Bustamante, Carlo Biado, Dennis Orcollo and newly-crowned World Cup of Pool champions Johann Chua and James Aranas.
Chua, a SEA Games champion, and Aranas, who is hoping to make it to the national team, joined Mariano in the forum backed by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Sports Commission, Milo, Philippine Olympic Committee and PAGCOR.
Mariano said they expect the best Asian players to vie in the event with perhaps less than a dozen coming from Europe.
Chua and Aranas, both 31 years old, are confident Filipino players will prevail.
“Naniniwala naman ako na sa Pinoy mapupunta ito,” said Chua.
