MANILA, Philippines (Updated 5:48 p.m.) — The Philippines' Carlo Biado mounted a tremendous comeback against Singapore's Aloysius Yapp to rule the US Open Pool Championship, 13-8, in the Final on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time).
After going down five points, 3-8 early against the Singaporean cue artist, Biado won the last ten racks in a row to win the prestigious title and bagged $50,000 (around P2.5 million).
Biado became the first Filipino since Efren "Bata" Reyes to win the US Open. Reyes won the prestigious tournament in 1994.
Hall of Fame status: ???????????????????????? ????????
— Matchroom Pool (@MatchroomPool) September 18, 2021
Carlo Biado joins the great Efren Bata Reyes as a Filipino representing US Open Champion#USOpenPool ???????? pic.twitter.com/ZGo2NbCcPE
Filipino-Canadian Alex Pagulayan won it in 2004 representing Canada.
Biado had a tough climb to the top as he was relegated to the losers' bracket. He, however, overcame two hill-hill matches during the knockout phase to keep himself alive.
Biado conquered Naoyuki Oi of Japan, 11-9.
Another Filipino, veteran Dennis Orcollo, earlier made it to the tournament's semifinals but absorbed a disappointing 11-6 loss to Yapp, who ended up facing Biado in the finals.
Orcollo had been on a seven-match win streak until he met and lost to Yapp, which prevented an all-Filipino finals showdown.
Malacañang on Sunday lauded Biado for his victory at the 2021 US Open Pool, calling him a "world-class billiards champion."
"We congratulate Carlo Biado for bringing pride and honor to the country by winning the 2021 US Open Pool Championship in Atlantic City," presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
"Carlo is indeed a world-class billiards champion. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte personally conferred Carlo a presidential citation for winning a gold medal in the 29th Southeast Asian Games in 2017. Mabuhay ka, Carlo," he added. — with a report from The STAR/Alexis Romero