GERMANY’S Joshua Filler stopped the Philippines’ Dennis Orcollo on his tracks with a 7-0 whitewash in the quarterfinals of the World Pool Masters on Sunday night in Gibraltar.
Mr. Filler did not give Mr. Orcollo much table time in the one-sided affair at the Europa Point Sports Complex, breaking and winning the first seven racks to advance to the semis with much to spare.
The 24-year-old Mr. Filler then rallied past former world champion Ko Pin Yi of Chinese Taipei in the Final Four, 7-3, and went on to capture the crown via a 9-6 disposal of Hong Kong’s Lo Ho Sum in the last dance.
It was a bitter ending for Mr. Orcollo, who had been on a rampage in his first two assignments, beating Albania’s Eklert Kaci in the Round of 32, 7-4, and ousting 2021 winner Alexander Kazakis of Greece in the Last 16, 7-0.
The 43-year-old Surigao native had won 14 consecutive racks prior to facing Mr. Filler. Champion of the same tournament in 2010, Mr. Orcollo settled for the $3,750 purse for the quarterfinalists.
Mr. Orcollo was the lone Filipino participant in the annual 9-ball tournament with the other top guns set to carry the country’s colors in the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Vietnam.
Without Mr. Orcollo, the men’s 10-ball gold medalist in the 2019 SEAG in Manila, reigning US Open champion Carlo Biado and Johann Chua banner Team Philippines in Vietnam.
Mr. Biado and Mr. Chua vie in the men’s 9-ball and 10-ball events while 2019 double gold winner Chezka Centeno and 9-ball singles defending champion Rubilen Amit compete in the distaff side.
Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco dela Cruz play for honors in the men’s one-cushion and three-cushion as Alvin Barbero and Jeffrey Roda carry the fight in the men’s snooker events. — Olmin Leyba