DOHA, Qatar – Pinangunahan ni defending champion Albin Ouschan ang matitikas na cue masters sa Final 16 ng 2017 World 9-ball Championship nitong Martes sa Al Arabi Sports Club dito.

Ginapi ng Austrian master sina Abdullah Alyusef ng Kuwait, 11-6, sa round of 64, bago sinibak si Korean Woo Seung Ryu,11-9, sa larong umabot ng mahigit dalawang oras.

Sa final 16, nakakaharap ni Ouschan ang 23-anyos na si Taiwanese Wu Kun Lin.

‘Pasko para sa lahat’ PDLs, may Christmas wishlist ngayong Pasko!

Umusad din si Ko Pin Yi, runner-up dito noong 2015, nang magwagi kina Austria’s Max Lechner, 11-3 at Taiwanese Chih Nien Rong, 11-4. Sunod na makakalaban ng dating World 9-ball at World 10-ball champion ang Pilipinong si Roland Garcia, sinanay at pinangangasiwaan ni billiard legend Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes.

Magtutuos naman sa Final 16 ang all-Pinoy duel na sina Carlo Biado at Jeffrey Ignacio.

Sopresa naman sa Final 16 si Myanmar’s Maung Maung. Nakalusot ang 23-anyos nang silatin ang liyamadong si Jeffrey De Luna ng Philippines, 11-9.

“There are so many great players in this tournament so anything can happen. But I’m very confident now. I got my old cue back, the one I used to win my first World 9-ball Championship back in 2003. My contract with Lucasi ended, 12 years I’m grateful for the time with them, but now I’m back to my old lady and I’m just enjoying it, hitting the ball solid and I’m really having fun playing the game. That’s what I’m really looking forward to. Everyday I’m really looking forward to playing. I’m excited, I got my cue back, I like the tables, I like the conditions, but I take it match by match,” pahayag nf top contender na si Hohmann.