Mixed RP result as WPC unfolds

Source: Inquirer.net. MANILA, Philippines—Dennis Orcollo and unheralded compatriot Israel Rota pulled off stunning reversals Wednesday, even as compatriots Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Lee Van Corteza coasted to opening-round victories in the 2010 WPA World Pool Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Their victories more than made up for the defeats suffered by Efren “Bata” Reyes and Jeff De Luna against their respective Asian rivals.
Orcollo, coming off a victory in last month’s World Pool Masters, sustained his fiery form by sending double world champion Ralf Souquet to the losers’ bracket in Group 9 with a 9-6 victory and forging a duel with Chris Melling of Britain for a place in the knockout stage.
Cebuano foils Peach
The Qatar-based Rota, who hails from Cebu, stunned defending champion Daryl Peach of Britain, 9-8. Peach ruled the event in Manila in 2007, when he outclassed Roberto Gomez in the finals.
Standing in the way of Rota’s bid to reach the knockout stage is Vietnam’s Nguyen Phuc Long, who nipped Artem Koshovoj, 9-8, in Group 10.
Bustamante, winner of the Japan Open recently, trounced Italy’s Fabio Petroni, 9-7, to move within a victory of clinching one of the four spots to the next round from Group 5.
The Tarlac City-born pool shark clashes with Tohru Kuribayashi of Japan, with the survivor advancing to the knockout phase of the event that stakes $36,000 to the champion.
A runner-up to Mika Immonen in the World 10-Ball Championship in Manila last year, Corteza showed awesome form with a 9-1 drubbing of Ibrahim Al-Khadar of Syria.
Corteza vies for a spot in the next round against Germany’s Christian Reimering, who defeated Polish bet Carol Skowersui, 9-5.
Reyes, the tournament’s 1999 winner, was pushed to the brink of elimination, after absorbing a 5-9 setback to Liu Haitao of China.
De Luna struggles again
De Luna, who has struggled in major tournaments, failed to buck the trend as he took a 9-6 loss to Thailand’s Nitiwat Kanjanasri
Also winning their first-round matches were unheralded Filipinos Joven Alba, who pulled off a tight 9-8 victory over compatriot Marlon Manalo, and UAE-based players Oliver Medenilla, Raymond Faron and Allan Cuarcero.
Medenilla overcame Jeong Young-hwa of South Korea, 9-6, in Group 9; Cuarcero downed Chan Keng Kwang of Singapore, 9-7, in Group 6; and Faraon crushed Mark Gray of Germany, 9-2, in Group 12.
Other Filipinos seeing action in the $250,000 event are Antonio Lining, who is scheduled to face Corey Deuel of the United States, Antonio Gabica, former double world champion Ronato Alcano, Venancio Tanio and Francisco Felicilda. Cedelf P. Tupas