Four other Filipinos including James Aranas dispatched their respective first-round opponents while former champion Carlo Biado crashed out early in the 2024 World Pool Championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, June 4.

Aranas, who won the 2023 World Cup of Pool crown with Johann Chua, flexed his might and crushed hometown bet Fahad Aldhayan, 9-6, to open his title campaign in this race-to-9, $1 million tournament.

Also moving into the next phase were Albert Manas, who squeaked past Canada’s John Morra, 9-8; Michael Feliciano, who drubbed Switzerland’s Michael Schneider, 9-4; and Anton Raga, who smashed compatriot Bernie Regalario, 9-1.

Meanwhile, Biado found himself exiting the door early after absorbing his second defeat to Spanish Open champion Dang Jin Hu of China, 9-5, in the loser’s bracket.

Still nursing a 9-5 loss to Marco Teutscher of the Netherlands the other day, the reigning world 10-ball champion couldn’t find his old form as a golden break from Dang eliminated him from contention.

Jefrey Roda and Jeffrey Ignacio also also made early exits with defeats to Hamzaa Ali of Eritrea, 9-6, and United States’ Nicholas De Leon, 9-3, while Patric Gonzales and Regalario bounced back from first-round defeats with victories over Saudi Arabia’s Fahad Alharbi, 9-1, and United States’ Sam Henderson, 9-3, to remain in contention.

Aranas resumes his bid as he faces Pijus Labutis at press time after the Lithuanian routed Germany’s Pia Filler, 9-1.

Kyle Amoroto also has his fands full as he currently battles defending champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, while Lee Vann Corteza is battling Alexander Kazakis.

Also competing in the second round at press time are Chua against Great Britain’s Jayson Shaw, Roland Garcia over Chinese Taipei’s Ko Pin Yi, Manas verus Chinese Taipei’s Chang Jung-Lin, Raga over Serbia’s Aleksa Pecelj and Feliciano against Qatar’s Ali Al Obaidli.