All news tagged JamesAranas

Former champions Carlo Biado and Johann Chua kicked off their title bids in strong fashion at the 2025 World Pool Championships in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Chua delivered a commanding start at the World Pool Championship, blanking hometown favorite Mohamed Al-Balkhi, 9-0, to advance to the second round.

Fresh off his Knight Shot Open triumph in Dubai, Chua’s impressive win set the tone for the Philippine contingent’s dominant campaign, with 16 out of 18 Filipino players moving on to the next stage. Chua is set to face Oliver Szolnoki next.

Filipino cue artist Carlo Biado, on the other hand, defeated Jan Van Lierop of the Netherlands, 9-5, while last year’s semifinalist Chua blanked local hopeful Mohammed Al-Balkhi, 9-0.

Meanwhile, fourteen other Filipino cue artists remain in contention after the opening round.

Advancing to the next stage were Roland Garcia, who routed Dutch star Niels Feijen, 9-4; Marvin Asis, who edged Spain’s David Alcaide, 9-8; Michael Feliciano, who cruised past Poland’s Konrad Juszczyszyn, 9-3; Bernie Regalario, who dominated Kuwait’s Abdullah Alenzi, 9-2; and Patrick Gonzales, who beat Czechia’s Roman Hybler, 9-3.

James Aranas, the 2023 World Cup Pool co-champion, overcame Egypt’s Wesam Hamamm, 9-4, while Lee Vann Corteza, a multi-SEA Games gold medalist, outlasted Al Waleed Al-Mudayan of Saudi Arabia, 9-7.

Zoren James Aranas, a native of Cavite, Philippines, is a Filipino professional pool player known by his nickname "Dodong Diamond."

He made his debut on the Action Pool Tour (APT) in 2017, going undefeated through a strong field of 48 entrants. He began his six-match run to the winner’s circle with an opening-round shutout and capped it off with victories over the APT's top-ranked player, Shaun Wilkie, in the hot seat match, and Reymart Lim in the finals. The event was hosted by Q Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA.

In 2018, Aranas secured his first international title after defeating Chris Melling twice at the first Annual Asian Culture Day, held at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. This event marked the opening of the Efren Reyes retirement tour. In 2019, Aranas claimed the ten-ball title at the Super Billiards Expo Diamond Open, defeating Oscar Dominguez 13–10 in the final.

In 2022, he reached the finals of the APP Asian 9-Ball Open in Singapore but fell short against Taiwan's Ko Pin-yi, 11–13.

On February 3, Aranas was detained and deported back to the Philippines. He was held in a room alongside several athletes and artists from outside the United States who were on tourist visas, most of whom were from Europe.