The Carlo Biado-led defending champion Team Asia stamped its dominance early, sweeping all four matches to take a commanding 4–0 lead over the newly formed Team Rest of the World on Thursday evening as the 2025 LiveSB.io Reyes Cup got underway at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Biado, the first Filipino to win the World Nine-ball Championship twice (2017 and 2025) and the reigning World Ten-ball champion, set the tone with victories in both the first and third matches, spearheading a near-flawless start for the home side.
Team Asia posted game scores of 5–1, 5–2, 5–3, and 5–4, showing composure under pressure and capitalizing on crucial miscues by their opponents.
In the opening doubles match, Biado teamed up with Vietnamese ace Duong Quoc Hoang to defeat Spain’s Francisco Sánchez Ruiz and rookie Moritz Neuhausen, 5–1.
The 41-year-old Biado, known as the “Black Tiger,” seized momentum after Ruiz’s early miss, while Duong capitalized on an error by Neuhausen in rack five to close out the match.
“I played solid today. Credit to Moritz — he fought hard and showed his potential — but his errors made the difference,” Biado said after the win.
In the second match — a singles showdown — Biado again showcased his world-class precision and calm demeanor, outdueling Neuhausen in a 5–3 victory. The German newcomer showed flashes of brilliance but faltered under pressure as Biado punished every mistake.
Team Asia extended its lead to 3–0 when Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp and rising Filipino cue artist AJ Manas scored a 5–2 win over Jayson Shaw and Sánchez Ruiz in the third doubles clash.
“I feel so happy — it’s an incredible feeling,” said Manas. “I was nervous coming into today, but I’m surrounded by such a great team who’ve supported me all the way.”
The final match of the night saw Johann Chua and Duong Quoc Hoang deliver the finishing blow, edging World Nineball Tour No. 1 Fedor Gorst and Skyler Woodward in a tight 5–4 thriller.
The deciding moment came in the final rack when Gorst committed a foul, handing Team Asia the opening it needed to seal the Day 1 sweep.
With momentum firmly on their side, Team Asia looks to maintain its perfect start as the Reyes Cup continues Friday, with Team Rest of the World eager to bounce back and keep the series alive.
