Reyes suffers opening round WPC loss

Kenichi Uchigaki

The 2007 World Pool Championship is only match old, and we already have a major upset as group six favorite Efren Reyes fell to Kenichi Ichigaki from Japan 9-2.

Reyes certainly did not look like the same magician that all of the local fans are used to seeing and the fans were left speechless as Reyes could not put together any sort of sustained run and Ichigaki played as if he were under no pressure at all.

In the new group format, Ichigaki will move on to face Canadian Alain Martel. Reyes will face Taipei's Chun-Chuan Lui, who lost to Martel 9-3.

Reyes will now have to win two matches in a row on the one loss side in order to qualify for Wednesday's final sixty four.

Other winners early on Day one included defending champion Ronnie Alcano with a 9-3 win over Saeed Ahmed Al-Mutawa and former champion Chia-Ching Wu who defeated Carlos Castro 9-4.

Up to the minute scoring is available online at www.worldpoolchampionship.com and online odds for international users betting are available at www.stanjames.com.

The tournament is also being broadcast as on online pay per view. More information is available here.