FILIPINO billiards star Lee Van Corteza’s impressive run at the World Pool Series-Molinari Players 8-Ball Championship fell short yesterday as he bowed to Russian Ruslan Chinakhov, 16-6, in their race-to-16 finals at the Steinway Cafe-Billiards in New York City.
After subduing Great Britain’s Darren Appleton, 18-16, in an exciting semifinals earlier in the day, Davao native Corteza found the going tough in the finals against 23-year-old Chinakhov, who continued with his ascent in the billiards circuit with the victory.
Prior to the finals defeat, Mr. Corteza, 36, was on a roll in the tournament, taking down opponents impressively one after another in the preliminary rounds.
He opened his campaign with a dominating 13-3 win over American Carl Khan in the first round of the four-day tournament before holding off Frankie Hernandez of the United States, 13-10, in the second round.
Greece’s Nick Ekonomopoulos was Mr. Corteza’s next victim, falling, 13-8, in the third round.
In the last 16, Mr. Corteza got the better of Finland’s Mika Immonen, 15-13, to earn a spot in the quarterfinals where he edged Japanese Naoyuki Oi, 15-13.
Winner Chinakhov, meanwhile, also had it solid en route to the title, taking down Great Britain’s Lee Creighton, 13-4, in the first round, Israel’s Zion Zvi, 13-8, in the second, and United States’ Brandon Shuff, 16-14, in the third round.
The last 16 saw Mr. Chinahov beat Greece’s Alex Kazakis, 15-10, before taking down British Karl Boyles in the quarters, 15-11.
In the semifinals, Mr. Chinakhov, who was a prodigy player at 13 years old and won the World Jr. 9-ball Championship when he was 15, faced and beat Filipino Johann Chua, 15-8, to effectively thwart what would have been an all-Filipino final.
For his runner-up finish, Mr. Corteza got $8,500 while champion Chinakov got the top prize of $20,000.
Losing semifinalists Appleton and Chua each received $5,250.
Another Filipino Dennis Orcollo reached the quarterfinals but lost to Mr. Appleton, 15-12.
The Molinari Players 8-Ball Championship, which attracted more than hundred cue artists, was the first event of the World Pool Series, and was sponsored by Molinari, Predator, Cheqio, RYO Rack, Aramith, Iwan Simonis, Kamui, Billiards Digest, Ultimate Team Gear, and High Rock.
Proponents said the 8-Ball series is designed for players and fans alike to further underscore the discipline’s standing as the most recognized and most participated around the world. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Lee Van Corteza — JP Parmentier
