PLAYING giant-killer to the hilt, rising Pinoy cue ace Jeffrey Roda came from behind to stun former world 9 and 10-ball champion Ko Pin-yi of Taiwan 13-11 in the finals of the 3rd Universal Chinese-Taipei Open in Taipei last Wednesday night.
Trailing 8-11, Roda pounced on a costly error in the 19th frame by Ko, who failed to sink the 4-ball in the left corner pocket, the ball rattling out. Ko had battled back from a 6-8 deficit and surged ahead after winning five straight racks.
That was the opening that Roda, 24, a member of the Marboys stable of JR Velasco, needed to string up five consecutive racks of his own to complete his remarkable comeback victory in front of shocked Taiwanese fans.
He sealed the deal in the 24th frame with just one superb shot, sinking the 1-ball on the break, with the cue ball bouncing off the right rail and hitting the 9-ball at a precise angle, sending it rolling to the left corner pocket to register the biggest triumph of his young career.
The diminutive Roda took home the top prize of $20,000 (around P1.180 million) in the ranking tournament of the World Nine Ball Tour organized by English outfit Matchroom while Ko settled for the runner-up purse of $10,000 (P590,000).
On his way to the finals, he stunned Marboys stablemate and 2023 World Cup of Pool champ Johann Chua in the quarterfinals then outclassed former world 9 ball king Francis Sanchez Ruiz of Spain 11-2 in the semifinals.
