TWO-TIME World 9-ball champion Carlo Biado dismantled compatriot Roland Garcia 9-4 while fellow Filipino cue players Johann Chua and Bernie Regalario won a pair of cliffhangers yesterday (Wednesday in the US) to advance to the round-of-64 of the Florida Open Pool Championship in Orlando, Florida.
Gunning for his second major title since his World Pool Championship conquest in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last month, Biado, the world No. 2, advanced to the knockout phase of the meet organized by British promoter Matchroom offering a top prize of $40,000 (roughly P2.289 million).
In contrast to the breezy win of the Pinoy “Black Tiger,” Chua and the youthful Regalario, 20, went through the wringer, edging Norway’s Emil Gangflot and Canada’s John Morra by the same scores of 9-8, respectively.
“That was a tough one. Emil played great, but I stayed patient and focused. I’m proud to be in the Last 64 again, but I’m not here just to make up the numbers. I’m here to win — nothing less,” Chua, the World No. 4, said.
The PH trio of Michael Baoanan, Patric Gonzales and Jeffrey Roda, however, lost their respective third-round matches and were waiting who their foes would be in the fourth round of the losers’ classification.
Set to play in the race-to-8 third round losers’ classification yesterday (Wednesday in the US) were Roberto Gomez and Miguel Salvilla, who were up against American Brett Ross and veteran German Ralf Souquet, respectively.
Rocking the competition was Ecuadorian Jesus Atencio, who turned the tables on American world No. 1 Fedor Gorst 9-7 in the third round, remaining in the title hunt.
