JOHANN Chua, Jefrey Roda, and Michael Baoanan barged into the Round of 16 at the US Open 9-Ball Championships as Carlo Biado and five others bowed out of the competition.
Chua maintained the form that earned him a runner-up finish at the recent European Open, defeating Japan’s Naoyuki Oi, 10-0, and former champion Jeremy Jones of the US, 10-6.
Now the country’s top contender for the prestigious title, Chua will face fellow hot-streaking compatriot Roda for a place in the quarterfinals.
Roda upset Poland’s Wiktor Zielinski, 10-2, and fellow Pinoy Jeffrey Ignacio in a hill-hill battle, 10-9.
Unheralded Baoanan stunned former world No. 1 and champion Ralf Souquet of Germany, 10-8, and compatriot Lee Van Corteza, 10-7. He will next face another former champion, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain, in the last 16.
Meanwhile, six other Filipinos were eliminated one after another with 2021 champion Biado yielding to American Skyler Woodward, 7-10, in the Round of 32, and Bernie Regalario losing to former world No. 1 Joshua Filler, 7-10.
Marvin Asis was the first to end his campaign, losing to Taiwanese Wu Kun Lin, 8-10, in the Round of 64.
Other big guns who failed to advance were defending champion Ko Ping Chung of Chinese Taipei, UK Open champion Robbie Capito of Hong Kong, European Open winner Mickey Krause, and Team Asia qualifier Aloysius Yapp of Singapore.
The tournament, a ranking event on Matchroom’s World Nine-Ball Tour, offers $50,000 to the champion and $25,000 to the runner-up. / Radyo Pilipinas 2 Sports