Johann Chua headlines Filipino trio in U.S. Open Pool Round of 16

The Philippines’ hopes for a U.S. Open 9-Ball Pool Championship title remain alive and burning as three of its finest cue artists — Johann Chua, Jeffrey Roda, and Michael Baoanan — advanced to the Round of 16 at the prestigious event held at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City.

Leading the charge is 33-year-old Johann “Bad Koi” Chua, who delivered a clinical 10–6 victory over Greek contender Alex Kazakis in the Round of 32.

Top finisher at the 2023 World Cup of Pool in Spain, Chua showcased sharp cue ball control and solid tactical play to secure a spot in the Last 16, where he is set to face Serbia’s Aleksa Pecelj.

Joining him in the knockout stage is Cebu-born Jeffrey Roda, the 2024 Chinese-Taipei Open champion, who kept his momentum going with a commanding 10–5 win over New Zealand’s Sullivan Clark.

 Roda now braces for a high-stakes matchup against Singapore’s top-ranked Aloysius Yapp, who earlier eliminated Taiwanese veteran Kuo Po-Cheng, 10–7.

Johann Chua holds a strong 4-1 lead over Niels Feijen – good start to the quarters for Bad Koi 🔥https://t.co/GNXL4VDsYd | #WNT | #USOpenPool pic.twitter.com/sToedFN5ke

— Matchroom Pool (@MatchroomPool) August 23, 2025

Rounding out the Filipino trio is Michael Baoanan, who survived a thrilling hill-hill battle against Venezuelan Jesus Atencio. With the score locked at 9–9, Baoanan held his nerve to close out the deciding rack and punch his ticket to the Round of 16. 

He will next face Vietnamese standout Dương Quốc Hoàng, who notched a dominant 10–4 win over Japanese star Naoyuki Oi.

Their collective success helped offset the shock early exit of former world champion Carlo Biado, who suffered a stinging 10–3 defeat at the hands of Estonia’s Denis Grabe in the Round of 64. Biado, the 2021 U.S. Open champion and a consistent presence in the international pool scene, was widely expected to make a deep run this year.

Despite Biado’s early departure, the stellar performances of Chua, Roda, and Baoanan have reignited Filipino hopes of reclaiming the title. 

The U.S. Open is one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments, with past Filipino champions including Efren “Bata” Reyes (1994), Alex Pagulayan (2005), and Biado himself.

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