Alex Eala suffers early defeat in Australian Open qualifiers
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Billiards: Bautista to compete in the Derby City Classic Open Tournament
Filipino cue artist Rodlin John “RJ” Bautista is in full swing as he prepares to participate in the Derby City Classic Open Tournament scheduled to be held from January 17 to 26, 2025 at the Caesars Southern Indiana Casino and Hotel in Elizabeth, Indiana, USA.
According to Bautista, he will try his luck in the said tournament where he will face the best billiard players from around the world.
Photo courtesy Marlon Bernardino
“I am so thrilled to announce that I will join the Derby City Classic Open Tournament in the USA to try my luck and test my skills playing with the best players in the world. I will pour all that I know in the cue sports,” said Bautista.
The said tournament will feature a 9-Ball, Bank Pool, One Pocket and BigFoot 10-Ball Challenge.
The 29-year-old Bautista won back-to-back Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards in 2011 and 2012 in the B League, a Collegiate Billiards League.
This year, Bautista showed off his skills at the 2024 Joy Heyball Masters (Chinese 8-ball) Grand Finals in March in Beijing, China and the 2024 Hanoi Open 9 ball Pool Championship in October in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Bautista, who was also a quarterfinalist at the 2017 World University Olympic Games 9-Ball Pool Championship in Taipei, Taiwan, is aiming to follow in the footsteps of his idol Efren “Bata” Reyes, who won the 1999 WPA World 9-Ball Championship in Cardiff, Wales and the 2004 WPA World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
