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MANILA, PHILIPPINES---Filipino Lee Vann Corteza leaned on a strong start to repulse David Alcaide of Spain, 9-7 yesterday, to advance to the final round of the 2009 World Ten Ball Championship, here.
Corteza will battle Mika Immonen of Finland in the finals, after the latter disposed of Filipino Antonio “Nickoy” Lining, 9-7 in their semifinals duel. Immonen’s hard-earned victory prevented what could have been an all-Filipino final.
“Mabuti na lamang at naunahan ko sya, mas nakakapagod kasi ang maghabol,” (I was lucky I was able to lead early, it’s tiring to make ground when you are too far behind), said the Davo City-native Corteza.
Corteza of the Negros Billiards Stable, jumped off to a 5-2 start and was never seriously threatened the rest of the way.
The New York based Immonen, the reigning back-to-back US Open 9-ball titlist won two racks to edged Filipino Antonio “Nickoy” Lining, 9-7, in the first semi-final match-up yesterday.
“I feel happy,” said the frequent Manila visitor who is already assured of at least $30,000 for reaching the race-to-11 finals. The champion will receive $60,000, while the losing semi-finalists get $15,000 each.
On the way to the finals, Immonen defeated Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, 9-6, (Last 64), Marlon Manalo, 9-6, of the Philippines (Last 32), Nick van den Berg of the Netherlands, 9-7, (Last 16), Ruslan Chinakhov of Russia,9-6, (Last 8), and Lining, 9-7, (Last 4) while the Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro-based Lining disposed of Corey Deuel of the USA, 9-4, (Last 64), Naoyuki Ooi of Japan, 9-7, (Last 32), Jomar de Ocampo, 9-2, of the Philippines (Last 16) and Warren Kiamco, 9-8, of the Philippines (Last 8) before losing to Immonen, 9-7, (Last 4).
