 Antonio Lining |
VETERAN Antonio Lining yielded to Chinese-Taipei's Lo Li-wen, 9-5, in the semifinals, but still wound up as the best Filipino finisher in the 17th Annual All Kansai 9-Ball Open at the Mag Suminoe Billiards Hall in Osaka, Japan, on Sunday.
Lining, who ousted defending champion Masaaki Tanaka of Japan, 9-3, in the quarterfinals, settled for joint third place with Doha Asian Games 8-ball gold medalist Satoshi Kawabata.
Another local bet, Tomoo Takano took the crown and the 1-million yen (about P440,000) that goes with it after trouncing Lo, 9-5, in the finals. Reigning World Pool champion Ronnie Alcano ended his first major international tournament this year with a quarterfinals defeat at the hands of Takano, 9-6.
On the way to the title, Takano also beat D. Narumi, 9-5, in the round of 32; S. Tsukenn, 9-5, in the round of 16; and Kawabata, 9-3, in the semifinals.
Before blasting Lining, Lo whipped H. Mizushita, 9-6, in the quarterfinals. He also won over Filipino money-game king Dennis Orcollo, 9-4, in the last 16, and K. Nagamatsu, 9-2, in the preliminary round.
Other Filipinos who saw action were Ramil Gallego, Roland Garcia and the promising Carlo Biado.
Gallego exited in the last 16 with a 9-7 loss to Alcano, while Garcia lost to Y. Yano, 9-1, in the round of 32. Biado failed to advance in the knockout stages.
The Filipinos' performance was a big letdown as they dominated the 2005 edition, with Warren Kiamco emerging as champion and Orcollo, Gallego and Lining completing a 1-2-3-4 finish for the Philippines.
Miyuki Fuke of Japan topped women's play.
