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IN THE CLEAREST INDICATION YET that disputes in local billiards are slowly but surely nearing resolution, a stronger Filipino contingent with big guns Ronnie Alcano and Dennis Orcollo at the helm will see action in the World Ten-Ball Championships starting Wednesday at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
Skipping the maiden edition of the tournament last year because of differences with organizers, Alcano, the double world champion in 2006, and former world No. 1 Orcollo are spearheading the country?s bid this time, along with world No. 7 Jeffrey de Luna and Demosthenes Pulpul, a surprise semifinalist in 2008.
?There?s a good chance we?re going to have a Filipino world champion,? said Yen Makabenta, chair of the organizing Raya Sports.
?The rifts are almost totally resolved,? he added at yesterday?s press conference at the Heritage Hotel.
But conspicuously absent for the second straight year are pool legends Efren ?Bata? Reyes and Francisco ?Django? Bustamante. Reyes and Bustamante bagged the World Cup of Pool title in September.
Makabenta, also chair of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines, said they are still hoping to reconcile with billiards patron Aristeo ?Putch? Puyat, who supports the career of the two pool icons.
The 128-man field from 40 countries, however, is not wanting in quality.
Englishman Darren Appleton is out to prove his victory against the field last year was no fluke.
?A lot of people questioned if I deserved to win, so I?m looking forward to playing again,? said Appleton, who will be joined in the tournament by compatriot and 2007 world 9-ball champion Daryl Peach.
World No. 1 Ralf Soquet of Germany and Alcano are gunning to complete a hat-trick of world titles in the six-day tournament. Soquet and Alcano have won world titles in 9-ball and 8-ball.
But Soquet believes the race for the title and the $60,000 purse is wide open. ?At least 50 players have a big chance of winning,? he said.
Iceland?s Mika Immonen, who has won three of the last four tournaments in the international pool circuit, including the tough US Open, is seeking to cap his remarkable year with a victory here.
?It would be a nice addition to my collection,? said Immonen, who also expressed delight in a more ?united front? in Philippine billiards.
