All news tagged AJManas

Out of 18 Filipino cue artists who began their campaigns at the 2025 World Pool Championship, only seven remain in the hunt for the title as the tournament heads into the Round of 16.

Veterans Roland Garcia and AJ Manas made early exits, falling in the Round of 64.

Advancing further were Marvin Asis, Michael Feliciano, and Johann Chua, but all three were stopped in the Round of 32—each falling to a red-hot Anton Raga, who has quietly emerged as one of the most dangerous players in the draw.

The Round of 16, scheduled for tonight, July 25, will showcase two all-Filipino showdowns:

Bernie Regalario vs. Patric Gonzales

Carlo Biado vs. Jeffrey Ignacio

These matchups ensure that at least two Filipino players will move on to the quarterfinals, continuing the Philippines’ proud tradition of excellence in world-class pool competition.

With Anton Raga, Regalario, Gonzales, Biado, and Ignacio still in the mix, Filipino fans have every reason to be hopeful for another deep run—and possibly another world title.

Seventeen of the Philippines’ top billiards players are set to battle for the coveted Crown Jewel of Nineball as the World Pool Championship kicks off Monday at the Green Halls in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Led by former world champion Carlo Biado and 2023 semifinalist Johann Chua, the Philippines will field the largest contingent in the 128-man field, all gunning for a piece of the record-setting prize pool for the champion. 

Chua and Biado headline the campaign as they look to deliver the country’s fifth world title, following in the footsteps of Filipino legends Efren “Bata” Reyes (1999), Ronnie Alcano (2006), Francisco “Django” Bustamante (2010), and Biado himself, who lifted the trophy in 2017 and finished runner-up in 2018.

Joining them are veterans James Aranas, Lee Vann Corteza, and Roland Garcia, alongside emerging stars AJ Manas, Anton Raga, Bernie Regalario, and Jefrey Roda. Also flying the flag are Michael Feliciano, Jeffrey Ignacio, Michael Baoanan, Marvin Asis, Alexis Ferrer, Mark Kalagayan, and Marlon Caneda.

The road to the title, however, won't be easy. Defending champion Fedor Gorst (USA) enters as the heavy favorite, chasing his third world crown and aiming to become the first back-to-back winner since Earl Strickland's legendary run from 1990 to 1992.

Other top contenders include Joshua Filler (Germany), Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (Spain), Jayson Shaw (Great Britain), Aloysius Yapp (Singapore), the Ko brothers—Pin Yi and Ping Chung (Chinese Taipei)—and Shane Van Boening (USA).