Reyes highlights Asian Nine-Ball Tour in the city
[POOL] Twenty-four players from 12 countries, including the first-leg champion Efren Reyes from the Philippines, will perform in the second leg of the Asian Nine-Ball Tour, which kicks off in Bangkok today.
Co-organised by Asian Pocket Billiard Union and the Billiard Sports Association of Thailand, the three-day event will take place at the Bang Na Hall inside Central City Bang Na. All the participants competed in the first leg in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from May 5 to 7. The 24 cueists arrived here yesterday to revive their fortunes as they vie for the top prize of US$10,000 plus 70 points. The participating countries are China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. In yesterday's draw, local hope Wanchana Poomjaeng was put in the same group as compatriot Mana Upraphai and Filipino Ramil Gallego, while Reyes is in the same group as Indonesian Ricky Yang and Japanese Masaaki Tanaka. The meet will involve a new format. All competitors are split into eight groups and play a round-robin. Only the winner from each group makes it to the quarter-finals (nine games with alternate breaks). After finishing the second leg, the third leg will be held in Kaohsiung in Taiwan between August 4 and 6, while the final leg will take place from September 15 to 17 in Jakarta. Apart from the US$160,000 prize money in the four-leg event, the top 10 players on the Tour Order of Merit will be eligible to play in the World Pool Championship in Manila in November. Today's competition starts at 4pm. Fifteen hours of this leg will be televised live on ESPN. Tickets are available from the Ball in Hand at 02-653-0889. For more information go to www.asian9-balltour.com. Somporn Suphop The Nation
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