The 2026 Philippine Open continued in Quezon City, Metro Manila, on October 21. WNT's day-two report recorded defending champion David Alcaide edging Paul John Ortega 10–9 and Justin Bergman recovering from 7–3 down to beat previous runner-up Arseni Sevastyanov 10–8 for a last-32 place. Vietnam's Dương Quốc Hoàng lost 10–7 in another upset.
The first player to reach the hill cannot finish
Alcaide faced a strong last-64 challenge from Ortega. With home support, Ortega reached the hill first and had an opportunity to end the champion's campaign, but missed a crucial 8-ball. Alcaide took over and ran out, keeping his title defense alive in the decider after 9–9.
Alcaide called himself fortunate afterward, citing several important opponent errors, especially the late 8-ball, and stressing that anyone can miss under pressure. He valued experience and pressure management while praising Ortega's ability. He also noted opening with 10–1 and 10–9 results for two consecutive years, with the second match again testing his defense.
Bergman wins seven of the last eight racks
Bergman's comeback extended over a longer stretch. From 7–3 down, he won seven of the last eight racks for 10–8. The previous runner-up was eliminated and Bergman reached the last 32, with control changing completely in the second half.
Bergman said his opponent began well while he played poorly, before opportunities changed. He felt a late chance had arrived and he took it. Defeating the previous runner-up added weight to advancement, but his confidence did not change the need to continue progressing round by round.
The report also confirmed Shane Van Boening opening with a 10–2 win over Chris Stripple and Fedor Gorst beating Vitaly Pavlukhin 10–0. Francisco Sánchez Ruiz and others advanced too. Dương had won 10–0 in 52 minutes the day before, but now lost 10–7 to the Philippines' Tristan Decareza: the earlier emphatic win did not carry into this result.
| Winner | Opponent | Score confirmed in October 21 report |
|---|---|---|
| David Alcaide | Paul John Ortega | 10–9 |
| Justin Bergman | Arseni Sevastyanov | 10–8 |
| Shane Van Boening | Chris Stripple | 10–2 |
| Fedor Gorst | Vitaly Pavlukhin | 10–0 |
| Tristan Decareza | Dương Quốc Hoàng | 10–7 |
INKA SPORTS analysis: One-rack chances and sustained rallies differ
The two matches tested leads differently. Bergman's 7–1 run over the final eight produced six net racks, turning a four-rack deficit into a two-rack victory through sustained output. Alcaide and Ortega reached 9–9 with only one rack left to decide the match, where surrendering the table could cost everything.
Alcaide emphasized experience while acknowledging errors and luck; Bergman connected his comeback to changing opportunities. Neither reduced the result to one fixed advantage. Both still had to execute the shots after the opponent supplied an opening to turn it into rack-score gains.
Conclusion
Day two presented both pressure shots and sustained pursuit. Alcaide ran out after his opponent's miss; Bergman regained control through the last eight racks. Both needed enough winning racks from the chances available. The event continues toward the last 16 and ends on October 24, with further knockout tests for the champion and other advancing players.
