CORTEZA READY FOR FUIJARAH WORLD 8-BALL

LEE VANN CORTEZA, one of the most successful Filipino players last year, will compete in the biggest billiards event in the rich oil country.

Corteza, the top player of Jonathan Sy’s Negros Billiards stable is currently on a roll since winning the 2009 BSCP National Pool Championships and Villar Cup last December is among the early favorites in the Etisalat World 8-Ball Pool Championship gets under way on April 4 to 10 at the Fujairah Tennis Club in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

The tournament features a 64-man field with the champion getting the lion share of $28,000.

“I hope to do well in this event,” said the Davao City native Corteza, who lost to Mika Immonen of Finland during the finals of 2009 World Ten Ball Last November in Pasay City. “Mas pursigido akong manalo every time na naglalaro ako sa ibang bansa dahil ayaw kong ipahiya ang Pilipinas.”

“I’m very confident Van-Van will win in Fujairah,” said sportsman/ businessman Jonathan “Bacolod” Sy, co founder of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP).

The other Filipinos expected to join the $100,000 event are former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes, Ronato “Volcano” Alcano and Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo.

Meanwhile, Etisalat announced its title sponsorship of the world tournament that is being held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah.

“This event has grown in status since last year and we are more than happy to have the best pool players from right across the globe enjoy playing in Fujairah,” said tournament director Ahmad Ebrahim in a local newspaper.

“We also believe such an event helps to improve the standard of our local talent who get the opportunity to pit their talent against the world’s very best,” he added.

Also competing are world’s top 10 players led by World No 1 Mika Immonen of Finland, Word No 2 Ralf Souquet of Germany, World No 3 Darren Appleton of England, World No 5 Ricky Yang of Indonesia, World No 6 Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, World No 7 Niels Feijen of the The Netherlands, World No 8 Marcus Chamat of Sweden and World 9 Karl Boyes of United Kingdom.

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO.