Johann Chua beats Anton Raga 11-9 to win Philippines Open pool title in Manila

Johann Chua has won the 2026 Philippines Open Pool Championship, beating compatriot Anton Raga 11-9 in an all-Filipino final at Gateway Mall in Quezon City on Saturday night. The win makes Chua the first Filipino to lift the title on home soil and gives the host nation the trophy in only the second edition of the Matchroom event.

A final that nearly slipped away

Chua made a fast start and moved 5-0 ahead before Raga steadied himself and pulled back to 5-3. The match tightened from there. Chua went 8-6 up, helped by a bold combination shot on the 4 and 7 balls, but the closing racks became nervy. A dry break and a miscue from Chua let Raga close to 10-9, putting the challenger one rack from forcing a decider.

The finish came through a mistake from Raga at the break. He scratched off the break for the fourth time in the match, handing Chua ball-in-hand, and Chua ran out the table to seal the title.

Semi-finals: a Filipino final four

The tournament ran from 20 to 24 October and ended with four home players in the semi-finals, a result that delighted the crowd in Quezon City. Chua dominated 21-year-old Bernie Regalario 10-2 in his semi-final. He dropped the opening two racks before taking ten of the next eleven.

Raga came through the other semi-final against Baseth Mocaibat 10-6 to set up the all-Filipino title match. Earlier in the week Chua had beaten former world champion Carlo Biado on his way to the last four.

What the title means for Chua

The Philippines Open is one of Matchroom's ranking Majors, and this is Chua's second Major title. He had previously won the Hanoi Open, which a related Matchroom report places in 2024. The Manila event was also Chua's first Major appearance of 2026, which makes the result all the more striking.

After the match, Chua said winning in front of home fans had long been his goal. "It has always been a dream to win a Major in my country," he told Matchroom.

Why it matters for Southeast Asian pool

The Philippines has long been one of the strongest pool nations in the world, and an all-Filipino final in Manila underlines that depth. For fans across Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, the Manila swing has become a key fixture on the regional cue sports calendar, alongside the Reyes Cup team event held in the Philippines this month. The inaugural 2025 edition was won by Spain's David Alcaide, so Chua's win keeps the trophy at home for the first time.

Key takeaways

• Johann Chua beat Anton Raga 11-9 in the 2026 Philippines Open final on 24 October.
• Chua is the first Filipino to win the event on home soil.
• Chua led 5-0 and 8-6, but Raga closed to 10-9 before a scratch off the break proved decisive.
• Chua beat Bernie Regalario 10-2 in the semi-finals; Raga beat Baseth Mocaibat 10-6.
• It is Chua's second Matchroom Major title.

FAQ

Where was the 2026 Philippines Open held? It was played at Gateway Mall in Quezon City, Metro Manila, from 20 to 24 October 2026.

Who won the first Philippines Open? Spain's David Alcaide won the inaugural edition in 2025, beating Arseni Sevastyanov in the final.

How did the 2026 final end? At 10-9, Anton Raga scratched off the break, giving Johann Chua ball-in-hand, and Chua cleared the table to win 11-9.

Sources: AZBilliards, Matchroom Pool, One Sports, Wikipedia