THREE Filipino cue artists advanced to the Last 16 of th 2025 US Open 9-ball Championships early Friday, Aug. 22 (PH time) at Harrah’s Resort and Casino in Atlantic City.
Jefrey Roda, the 2024 Chinese-Taipei Open champion, defeated Sullivan Clark of New Zealand, 10-5, to clinch a spot in the Last 16, joining 2021 SEA Games gold medalist Johann Chua, who earlier frustrated Greece’s Alexander Kazakis, 10-6.
Michael Baoanan survived a hill-hill match against Jesus Atencio of Venezuela, 10-9, to book his own ticket to the next round.
The “Dark Phoenix” Baoanan rallied from 5-9 down to post a come-from -behind triumph over the Venezuelan.
Baseth Mocaibat, the other Filipino who made it to the Last 32, failed to advance further as he bowed to Austrian 2016 WPA World champion Albin Ouschan, 5-10.
Baoanan is set to face Vietnam’s Duong Quoc Hoang, nicknamed “The Martian,” in the Round of 16, while the “Bad Koi” Chua will meet Aleksa Pecelj of Serbia.
Roda, meanwhile, will play against Singaporean UK Open pool champion Aloysius Yapp.
Duong Quoc Hoang and Pecelj both fashioned out 10-4 victories against Naoyuji Oi of Japan and Poland’s Mieszko Fortunski, respectively.
Yapp, who also captured the Florida Open 9-ball title earlier this month, downed Kuo Po Cheng (aka The Little Monster) of Taiwan, 10-7, to move to the Last 16.
The race remains stacked with star power as world No. 1 Fedor Gorst of the United States, 2010 WPA Blackball champion Jayson Shaw of Great Britain, multiple titlist Ko Pin Yi of Taiwan, and Germany’s Joshua Filler continue their bid for the title.
Carlo Biado, who won the US Open in 2021, failed in his quest to become the first Filipino to capture two US Open titles as he fell 4-9 to Denis Grabe of Estonia in the Last 64.
Other Filipino bets who got the boot in the Round of 64 were Marvin Asis, Bernie Regalario, Harry Vergara, Robert Gomez, and Lee Vann Corteza. / LBG