By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Mark Estiola bowed out of contention at the 2025 Las Vegas 10-Ball Open on Saturday, Feb. 22 (Sunday, Philippine time) after losing to their respective rivals in the losers’ qualification at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino.
Needing two more wins to advance to the knockout stage, the 61-year-old Bustamante first outhustled Canada’s Randal Bagot, 4-2, 1-4, 4-1, before absorbing a 4-2, 4-3 setback to Polish foe Mateusz Sniegocki.
Estiola was also not so fortunate despite a scoring 4-2, 4-2 triumph over American Tony Chohan as he dropped his next match to Peruvian Gerson Martinez Boza, 4-2, 4-1, in a match that lasted one hour and 53 minutes.
A victory for both Bustamante and Estiola could have earned them a slot in the Last 32 that already has 2006 Doha Asian Games silver medalist Jeff De Luna and Roberto Gomez, who toppled their respective second-round opponents early Saturday, Feb. 22.
In fact, De Luna plays Boza at press time, while Gomez is battling American Laz Martinez.
Also in the round was Fil-Canadian Alex Pagulayan, who represents Canada, as he competes against Ruslan Chinakhov.
The $125,000 tournament offers $37,500 to the champion, with the Top 32 also earning cash prizes.
Meanwhile, Chezka Centeno and Rubilen Amit compete with 62 others in the Las Vegas Women’s 10-Ball Open slated on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
The tournament offers a $75,000 total prize fund with the champion taking home the $22,500 winner’s pot.
