 Players enjoying a camel ride |
There is more to a World Championship in Fujairah than just playing matches. On Monday all players were given the day off and treated to a very unique experience. They were taken out to the Arabian desert and driven in Land Rover's across the dunes. The vehicles sped up the dunes and would then slide down the other side until the drivers gunned the engines to gain momentum for the next ascent. It is the roller coaster of the desert!
The vehicles stopped at a compound where camels awaited them. Brief camel rides brought them round-trip back to the compound where they relaxed and smoked apple tobacco from hookahs as their meals were grilled over open coals. The barbecued chicken and beef was accompanied by salads, Arabic flat bread, fruits and a wide variety of sweets.
Next came the entertainment. Loudspeakers poured forth music and a belly dancer performed in the middle of a large carpet spread across the sand. She would bring the spectators onto the carpet with her and entice them to mimic her moves. While some of the efforts were valiant, most were merely quite humorous and the laughter rode away on the evening breeze. Quite a day's entertainment, all courtesy of our hosts in the UAE.
The famous names begin to fall…
Play began at noon on Tuesday and the match-ups were tough. One of the highlights of the day was the match between Thomas Engert (GER) and Francisco Bustamante (PHI). The audience was heavy with Filipino fans urging their favorite on but it was not enough as Engert prevailed 10-9. But the fans day was not yet done. Efren Reyes cruised past fellow countryman James Ortega 10-2 in the first round, but then faced Marcus Chamat of Sweden. Chamat, long known as a giant killer, has perhaps the biggest heart of any player here. The big heart prevailed over the big experience and Chamat dusted Reyes 10-4.
The next big name to fall was Ralf Souquet. Souquet had first beaten Darren Appleton (GBR) 10-4, but came up just a bit short in his effort against Dennis Orcollo, the big-money player form Manila, and was eliminated 10-8 from the field. Current World 9-Ball Champion Ronnie Alcano ended the week for another former World 9-Ball Champion, Thorsten Hohmann, sending Hohmann packing by the score of 10-3.
But perhaps the most surprising result of the day was when defending champion Chia-Ching Wu lost to the unheralded Alexander Dremsizis of Germany 10-8. Said Wu afterward: “I just could not focus. I missed too many shots.”
The quarter-final and semi-final rounds will be contested on Wednesday beginning at 2PM at the Al Bustan Centre in Fujairah.
Results From Day Five
First Round
Goran Mladenovic (SCG) d. Jason Klatt (CAN) 10-7
Joven Bustamante (PHI) d. Farhad Shaverdi (IRA) 10-6
Hisashi Kusano (JPN) d. Serge Das (BEL) 10-8
Thomas Engert (GER) d. Francisco Bustamante (PHI) 10-9
Marcus Chamat (SWE) d. Satoshi Kawabata (JPN) 10-5
Efren Reyes (PHI) d. James Ortega (PHI) 10-2
Ralf Souquet (GER) d. Darren Appleton (GBR) 10-4
Dennis Orcollo (PHI) d. Bun Nunan (AUS) 10-3
Naif Al Jeweni (KSA) d. Fabio Petroni (ITA) 10-9
Ronnie Alcano (PHI) d. Thorsten Hohmann (GER) 10-3
Hui-Kai Hsia (TPE) d. Kevin Becker (GER) 10-2
Elvis Calasang (PHI) d. Joybe Vincente (PHI) 10-9
Niels Feijen (NED) d. Mario Tolentino (PHI) 10-7
Alexander Dremsizis d. Chia-Ching Wu (TPE) 10-8
Erik Hjorliefson (CAN) d. Mohammed Benali (QAT) 10-4
Nick Van Den Berg (NED) d. Lee Van Corteza (PHI) 10-7
Second Round
Joven Bustamante (PHI) d. Goran Mladenovic (SCG) 10-7
Thomas Engert (GER) d. Hisashi Kusano (JPN) 10-4
Marcus Chamat (SWE) d. Efren Reyes (PHI) 10-4
Dennis Orcollo (PHI) d. Ralf Souquet (GER) 10-8
Ronnie Alcano (PHI) d. Naif Al Jeweni (KSA) 10-3
Nick Van Den Berg (NED) d. Erik Hjorliefson (CAN) 10-6
Niels Feijen (NED) d. Alexander Dremsizis (GER) 10—6
Elvis Calasang (PHI) d. Hui-Kai Hsia (TPE) 10-6
PAIRINGS FOR WEDNESDAY
Joven Bustamante (PHI) vs. Thomas Engert (GER)
Marcus Chamat (SWE) vs. Dennis Orcollo (PHI)
Ronnie Alcano (PHI) vs. Elvis Calasang (PHI)
Nick Van Den Berg (NED) vs. Niels Feijen (NED)
