Billiard Club Network

By Steve Silva
Philippine Daily Inquirer

RONNIE ALCANO'S REIGN AS A WORLD champion came to an end Friday courtesy of the same man he beat to achieve full stardom two years ago.

Ralf Souquet of Germany finally exacted revenge with a 13-9 conquest of defending champion Alcano in the finals of the 2008 World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah City, United Arab Emirates.

The clean-shaven German, who lost to Alcano in the finals of the World Pool (9-ball) Championship in Manila in 2006, pounced on a poor start by the Filipino to grab a 3-0 lead which he skillfully protected throughout.

Souquet, who bagged the top purse of $60,000, became just the fourth cue artist -- after Efren "Bata" Reyes, Taiwanese Wu Chia-ching and Alcano -- to hold both the world 8-ball and 9-ball plums. He won his 9-ball title in 1996.

The 35-year-old Alcano, top gun of star-studded Bugsy Promotions of businessman Perry Mariano and the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), won all his previous matches in astounding fashion, while Souquet had to go through the back door after losing his opening match in the $200,000 tournament.

But in the game that mattered most, Alcano started sluggishly and eventually settled for the $20,000 runner-up prize.

Alcano later apologized for failing to live up to expectations, saying the breaks went against him early

"I promise to redeem myself and give honor to our country the next time," Alcano vowed.

Alcano won the lag but his two straight dry breaks had Souquet taking a 3-0 lead, which the latter stretched to five after 11 racks.

The Filipino then caught fire and pocketed five of the next six racks to close in at 9-8. He had a chance to even the match when the German broke dry in Rack 18, but he was unable to clean it up.

Souquet's victory meant the two world titles are now in Europe. The world 9-ball tiara is in the hands of Englishman Darryl Peach, who claimed it last year at the expense of Filipino Roberto Gomez.

The next best Filipino finisher was world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo, who made it to the semifinals and bagged $10,000. Warren Kiamco of BMPAP and Negros Billiards Stable of Jonathan Sy finished fifth worth $6,000, while Alan Cuartero received $3,000 for reaching the Last 16.