Kuwait-based Allan Cuartero stunned Wu Hao of China, 9-8, to keep alive his campaign in the Philippine Open Pool Championships yesterday at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall.
Following a loss to newly-crowned World 8-Ball champion Dennis Orcollo that dropped him at the loser’s bracket, Cuartero fell behind, 5-0, and later was on the verge of being eliminated with the Chinese taking an 8-5 lead.
But Cuartero, who has been coaching pool in Kuwait, won the last four racks, highlighted by an easy victory in the deciding frame to earn a meeting with Qatar's Bashar Hussain.
Hussain likewise came back from a 5-0 deficit to eliminate Filipino Venancio Tanio, 9-7.
"Hindi ko na inakala na mahahabol ko pa yung 5-0. Siguro binwenas lang," said Cuartero.
Also advancing is Ramil Gallego, who trounced late entrant Chang Pei Wei of Chinese Taipei, 9-6.
Two more Filipinos were booted out of contention as Jech Limen lost to Fu Che Wei, 9-6, while Roberto Gomez dropped a 9-3 decision to fellow Pinoy Demosthenes Pulpul.
Meanwhile in the ladies division, World No. 1 Ga Young Kim bounced back from a stunning loss the other night with a 9-6 victory over Finland's Marika Poikkijoki. She will face either Keiko Yukawa or Lin Yuan Chun in the next phase of this double-elimination tilt.
Kim, who admitted to still adjusting to the playing conditions, recovered after losing 9-8 to Lim Yun Mi.
Dropping out of contention are the country's bets Geona Christine Gregorio, Reggie Ann Biagcong and 14-year-old Gillian Go after losing two straight matches.
Also gone is Great Britain's Allison Fisher, who lost to Wu Jing of China and to Poikkijoki by similar 9-7 scores.
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