source: gmanews.tv

Lee Van Corteza was just a game away from becoming this year’s World 10-Ball champion, hoping to join the company of Efren "Bata" Reyes, Ronnie Alcano and Alex Pagulayan as the only Filipino players to win world championships.

Mika Immonen, however, shattered that dream as Finland’s top bet collected his second title this year to become the first player to win both the US Open and the world championship.

Corteza’s runner-up finish earned him 800 points as the former national champion moved up to fourth place in the new rankings released by the World Pool-Billiard Association.

Immonen vaulted to the top of the charts, surpassing erstwhile world No.1 Ralf Souquet of Germany. The player known as the Iceman has a total of 2117 ranking points and pulled away from the rest of the field.

Darren Appleton of Great Britain, last year’s World Ten Ball champion, stays at No.3.

Another Filipino player – Marlon Manalo – is also included in the top 10.

The former Asian Snooker champion and reigning Philippine national champion is ranked 10th in the world.

Reigning Asian Games gold medalist Antonio Gabica improved to No.17 as well as Antonio Lining, who came out of nowhere and found himself at 21st spot.

Jeff de Luna, previously the highest-ranked Filipino player at No.7, dropped to 20th spot while former No.8 Demosthenes Pulpul went down to 40 in a tie with compatriots former world No.1 Dennis Orcullo and the up-and-coming Jomar de Ocampo

Chinese player Wang Ming, Thomas Engert of Germany and Nick van den Berg of the Netherlands also occupy 40th place.

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