Four Pinoys advance to last 16 at US Open 9-Ball Championship

CEBU, Philippines —  Filipino cue masters Dennis Orcollo, Johann Chua, Carlo Biado, and Rodrigo “Edgie” Geronimo eased through the last 16 knockout stage of the 2021 US Open 9-Ball Championship at the Diamond Arena of Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City in New Jersey. 

Nicknamed ’Robocop’, the Surigao City-native Orcollo tamed Oliver Szolnoki of Hungary, 11-6, to stay perfect at 5-0 and move a win away from the quarterfinal round of the six-day tilt that dangles a total of $300,000 in prize fund.

Likewise, Chua of Bacolod City remained undefeated in five starts after getting past Mieszko Fortunski of Poland, 11-7, to bolster his chances of pocketing the whopping $50,000 (P2.5 million) champion’s purse.

Orcollo, the 2010 World Pool Masters champion and five-time Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist, will shoot for a Final 8 spot against Mario He of Austria, while Chua, third placer in the World 10-Ball Championship last week in Las Vegas, will tackle John Morra of Canada.

Orcollo and Chua are joined by their countrymen Biado and Geronimo in the next phase of the competition that has attracted 256 of the world’s best pool players.

Ironically, Biado had to eliminate his compatriot Jeffrey de Luna, 11-6, in the loser’s bracket to advance, while Geronimo kept his title hopes alive after booting out Dutchman Niels Feijen, 11-6.

Biado, the 2017 World 9-ball king and two-time SEA Games gold medalist, will take on next David Alcaide Bermudez of Spain, while Geronimo will battle against Dennis Grabe of Estonia.