World Ten Ball back in Manila next year

THE WPA World Ten Ball Championship is only in its fifth day and there's already a strong desire for the event to be back in Manila next year.

World Pool Association president Ian Anderson made sure the WTBC won't go anywhere.

"This early, there's a strong clamor for the WTBC and it will definitely be back next year in Manila," Anderson told sportswriters covering the event. "It will be staged October of next year and there's also the Philippine Open to be held June of 2009."

"I think Manila is the best place to go in hosting pool and it is living up to its billing as the pool Mecca in Asia."

Asked about the absence of several notable players that include Efren "Bata" Reyes, Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Alex Pagulayan, Anderson believes the quality of play in the WPA World Ten Ball Championship will not diminish.

"They're not the only top world players," said Anderson. "We have all reigning champions competing here, we have past and present champions and we also have lady champions in the men's turf. I mean, the absence of Reyes, Bustamante and Pagulayan won't matter in this event because there are a lot of great players out there and the field remains tougher."      

The ten ball, according to Anderson, is a tournament bound to discovering new talents.

"There are talents everywhere and this is a good venue to discovering new ones," said Anderson. "I think right now, ten ball is getting healthier as there are several tournaments with such discipline."