Francisco “Django” Bustamante hopes to live up to his lofty billing as one of the world’s top billiards player when he competes Wednesday, in the World 14.1 Straight Pool Championships in Hilton East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.Fresh from a third place finish in the inaugural Million Dollar 9-Ball held recently in Pennsylvania, Bustamante - playing under the banner of Puyat Sports - is bunched in Group 5 in the company of reigning world 8-ball champion Ralf “Kaiser” Souquet of Germany, Martin Kempter of Austria, Vincent Facquet of France, Tony Robles, Dan Wallace, Carmen Lombardo and Jonathan Smith of the United States. “If you could pick four top pros that stand head and shoulders above the rest, (Django) Bustamante would be in that mix,” commented Raj Hundal in the official website yesterday. Hundal is currently ranked No. 5 in the US Pro Rankings and he is representing India in the event. “I play a little bit of straight pool in Germany, but this is my first time in a big tournament,” said 2002 World Pool Championships runner-up Bustamante who will be making his international debut in the 14.1. “But I think I can play a little still,” he says with a smile. Other renowned cue artists set to play were former World Straight Pool champion Allen Hopkins and Johnny “The Scorpion” Archer of the host country, Neils “The Terminator” Feijen of the Netherlands, Thorsten “The Hitman” Hohmann, Thomas “The Lean Machine” Engert and Oliver “Machine” Ortmann of Germany, Mika “The Iceman” Immonen of Finland, Radoslaw Babica of Poland, and world women's No. 1 player Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, among others. |
