Django, Lining seal all-Pinoy semis duel

MANILA, Philippines - Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Antonio Lining booted out their respective rivals to arrange a semis showdown, assuring a Filipino in the final of the World Pool Championships (world 9-ball) at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation hall in Doha, Qatar Monday.

Bustamante ousted Francisco Felicilda, 11-5, while Lining edged Oliver Medenilla, 11-10, in a pair of all-Filipino quarterfinal duels.

American Johnny Archer and Kuo Po-cheng of Chinese-Taipei will dispute the second championship berth in the other semifinal pairing.

Archer outclassed unheralded Sandor Tot of Serbia,11-6, while Kuo upset former 9-ball and 8-ball world champion Ronnie Alcano, 11-5.

For reaching semis, Bustamante, Lining and the two others have assured themselves of $10,000 each with the champion taking home $36,000 (P1.6 million) prize. The runner-up will get $18,000.

On his way to the semis, Bustamante, the former world No. 1, defeated Ko Pin-yi of Chinese-Taipei, 11-8, in the second round of the knockout phase then subdued Marlon Manalo, 11-6, in the Last 16 last Sunday.

Lining, on the other hand, blasted Nguyen P. Long of Vietnam, 11-6, in the Last 32 then won over Dimitri Jungo of Switzerland, 11-8, in the Last 16.

In the other side of the draw, Archer bested Bruno Muratore of Italy, 11-7, then ousted Jason Klat of Canada, 11-8, while Kuo turned back Ibrahim Bin Amir of Malaysia,11-10, then bundled out compatriot Yang Ching-shun, 11-9.

Bustamante earlier disposed of Fabio Petroni of Italy, 9-7, and Tohru Kuribayashi of Japan, 9-6, in the group stage matches and waylaid ex-world 9-ball kingpin Oliver Ortmann of Germany, 11-2, in the first round of the knockout stage.

Lining beat Corey Deuel of the US, 9-7, and Khalid Al Kamale of the United Arab Emirates, 9-5, in the group stage matches then brought down Lee Poh Soon of Malaysia, 11-6, in the Last 64.

Archer clobbered Toh Lian Han of Singapore, 9-3, and Jakob Belka of Germany, 9-8, in the elims and edged Efren “Bata” Reyes, 11-10, in the Last 64.

Kuo, meanwhile, dropped his opening match in the group stage, losing to Thomas Engert of Germany, 5-9. But he fought back to nip Ben Judge of Australia, 9-8, then routed Salah Al Riwani of the United Arab Emirates, 9-2, in the loser’s brackets of the group stage matches before eliminating John Morra of Canada, 11-9, at the start of the knockout phase.