Asia trails ROW in bid for Reyes Cup three-peat

Team Asia’s title defense is on shaky ground at the Makati Coliseum.

The defending champions fell behind Team Rest of the World (R.O.W), 6–3, after yielding four points on Day 2 of the annual Reyes Cup, Oct. 16.

The home bets saw R.O.W chip away after dropping key matches in their quest of a hat-trick in the Cup, with Carlo Biado as the lone bright spot of the day after delivering Asia’s only win over Shane Van Boening.

After looking mighty with a 3–1 advantage, the teal-clad cueists pocketed four consecutive racks to turn back team Asia and grab their first overall lead of the competition.

Germany’s Joshua Filler then defeated Robbie Capito in the day’s first singles match, 5–3, to extend R.O.W.’s lead to 4–2.

What appeared to be a golden break of the Reyes Cup 2025 MVP AJ Manas in the first doubles’ game of the day turned into heartbreak as the cue ball scratched in the side pocket—handing Aleksa Pecelj and Fedor Gorst a clearance off the foul to close out the game, 5–3.

Biado then flexed his championship pedigree as the 2025 WPA World Pool titlist, rallying back from a 1–3 deficit to produce a 5–3 victory over Boening.

Team Asia’s Albert Januarta and Robbie Capito then went neck-and-neck against Francisco Sánchez Ruíz and Filler for the final doubles contest of the day, racing to a strong 2–0 lead before being dragged into a decider.

R.O.W. then emerged victorious to dominate Team Asia on the second day and inch five points away from their maiden Reyes Cup trophy.

Both teams will now open day three of the tournament, with Team Asia’s Januarta taking on a tall challenge against Gorst after the team battle for the opening match.