Biado leads Filipino surge into Florida Open last 64

Two-time WPA World 9-Ball Champion Carlo Biado made an impressive start in the 2025 Florida Open, held at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Displaying his trademark precision and calm under pressure, Biado opened his campaign with a commanding 9-3 victory over American Sam Henderson. 

He followed it up with another solid performance against Dutch contender Quinten Pongers, which secured him a place in the winners qualification round 3 of the tournament.

Biado, widely regarded as one of the Philippines’ most consistent pool athletes, continued his strong showing by outplaying compatriot Roland Garcia in a later round to book his seat in the last 64. Joining him in the main draw is fellow Filipino cue artist Johann Chua, who showed no mercy on the table as he blanked American Rick Miller, 9-0, before cruising past Kristian Dimitrov of Bulgaria with a dominant 9-2 win.

 Chua’s focused gameplay and unwavering composure made him a standout during the early stages of the competition.

Chua was scheduled to face Norway’s Emil Gangflot in another high-stakes encounter set for early Thursday (Manila time), as the race toward the title—and the $40,000 champion’s prize—heats up. The top prize for the event, which translates to more than ₱2.2 million, adds even more incentive for the Filipino players, who have traditionally been strong contenders in international billiards.

World champion doing world champion things

Carlo Biado is the first man to book his spot in the last 64 of the tournament https://t.co/GNXL4VDsYd | #WNT | #FloridaOpenPool pic.twitter.com/LUerJfuNbs

— Matchroom Pool (@MatchroomPool) August 6, 2025

Apart from Biado and Chua, several other Filipino cue artists are making their mark in Orlando. Among them are Patric Gonzales, Jeffrey Roda, Bernie Regalario, Marvin Asis, and Michael Baoanan—each advancing to the winners qualification round after strong performances in the earlier stages.

Gonzales was drawn to face seasoned Vietnamese player Duong Quoc Hoang, while Roda prepared to take on Greek hopeful Dimitris Loukatos. Meanwhile, Regalario was matched up against Canadian ace John Morra, and Baoanan braced for a high-profile clash with Japan’s charismatic shot-maker Naoyuki Oi.

 All of them are hoping to follow in the footsteps of Biado and Chua by progressing deep into the tournament.

With a strong contingent of Filipino players still in contention, the Florida Open promises to be another thrilling chapter in the continuing legacy of the Philippines as a global powerhouse in the world of pool.

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