Finland’s Mika Immonen is the only former titlist left in the current World Pool Championnship as four more ex-champs were ousted Thursday.
Immonen, the 2001 World Pool king, beat Alain Martel of Canada, 11-8, in their showdown in the Round of 16.
Four ex-winners in Wu Chia-ching (2005), Fong-Pang Chao (1993 and 2000), Ralf Souquet (1996) and Oliver Ortmann (1995) succumbed Thursday night, joining Efren “Bata” Reyes (1999), Alex Pagulayan (2004), Ronnie Alcano (2006), Thorsten Hohmann (2003), Johnny Archer (1992 and 1997) and Earl Strickland (1990, 1991 and 2002) on the sidelines.
Pagulayan joined the list of has-beens after losing to Django Bustamante in yesterday’s encounter.
From the start list of 46 nations, 11 are still in contention.
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Jeff de Luna was the 11th Filipino to crash out of contention but, unlike the others before him, he hardly gained sympathy from hometown crowd.
Not a few were saying he deserved what he got for his bravado and bluster, showing disrespect even to fellow Filipino players.
He talked big after beating Lee Van Corteza and said he could handle anybody when told he might face Efren “Bata” Reyes in the Final 36.
“Kakatayin ko kahit sino pa sila ( I’ll butcher whoever they are),” said De Luna after making it past the Round of 62 Wednesday.
But European No. 1 Konstantin Stepanov made De Luna eat his words, fashioning out a comfortable 10-5 win in their third round match.
“He’s just full of air,” one Filipino watcher said.
Cocky and confident, De Luna was often daring in his shot selection but his Russian rival remained patient and composed and just played his game. – Nelson Beltran