Reigning National Open champion Marlon Manalo and veteran internationalist Victor Arpilleda marched into the Last 64 of the $400,000 WPA World Ten-Ball Championship at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
The 31-year-old Manalo routed former World Trickshot ruler Fabio Petroni of Italy, 9-1 on Tuesday.
?Sana magtuloy-tuloy ang momentum,? said Manalo, who downed Tee Chee-soon of Brunei, 9-6, in the opening round on Monday with no less than Vice President Noli De Castro making the traditional ceremonial break along BSCP chairman and Raya Sports president Yen Makabenta, BSCP president Ernie Fajardo and BSCP treasurer Sebastian Chua.
Aside from winning the prestigious BSCP National Pool Championships, Manalo also won three consecutive times in a Ten-Ball event in Florida, USA this year. ?Bali tatlong sunod na nag champion po ako sa Ten Ball event sa Florida this year,? informed the 2000 Hongkong Asian Snooker Champion.
Arpilleda, the 1997 Jakarta Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, dismantled Wong Dae King of Korea, 9-5.
?Iba talaga pag nakauna ka. Suwerte lang maganda nilaro natin ngayon,? said Arpilleda, a former pool instructor in Jakarta, who beat Wang Ko-pin of Chinese Taipei, 9-6, in the opening round.
Manalo and Arpilleda's victory boosted the country's chances at the inaugural event following the loss of Florencio Banar who dropped his opening two matches.
Banar, who needed to go to a grueling qualification tournament to advance in the 128-player main draw, bowed to Bruno Muratore of Italy, 5-9, on Monday then lost to Po Hsien-Lee of Chinese-Taipei, 5-9 on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Elmer ?Buddy? Kalaquian fell to Charlie Williams of the United States, 3-9, and needed to win all his remaining matches to progress. Kalaquian, got off to a hot start the other day by beating Matjaz Erculj of Slovenia, 9-3. He will next face Wang Ming of China.
Last Monday, Jeffrey de Luna downed Max Eberle of the USA, 9-7, Demosthenes Pulpul trounced Muhd Al Bin All of Qatar, 9-2, Leonardo Didal upset Tony Drago of Malta, 9-5, and Arnel Bautista surprised David Alcaide of Spain, 9-7.
However, Antonio Gabica, Jericho Banares, Elvis Calasang, Edgar Acaba and Mario Tolentino lost their first round matches.
Gabica bowed to Marcus Chamat of Sweden, 3-9, Banares succumbed to Stevie Moore of the USA, 4-9,
Calasang lost to Naoyuki Oi of Japan, 8-9, Acaba bowed to Ku Po-cheng of Chinese-Taipei, 4-9, and Tolentino lost to Jeong Young-hwa of Korea, 5-9.
The tournament champion will earn $100,000.
