Johann Chua beats Anton Raga 11–9 to win Philippine Open after tense all-Filipino final

The 2026 Philippine Open nine-ball tournament concluded at Gateway Mall in Quezon City on October 24. Johann Chua beat Anton Raga 11–9 in an all-Filipino final, becoming the first Filipino to win the event on home soil and claiming his second Matchroom Major title.

Raga revives the contest after Chua's 5–0 start

The World Nineball Tour's post-match report showed that Chua capitalized on Raga scratching on the opening break, winning the first rack with a 3–9 combination. Raga missed the 9-ball in the second rack and Chua extended his advantage. A run-out in the third and a safety that forced a foul in the fourth helped him establish a 5–0 lead.

The break is the opening shot that disperses the rack, and pocketing the cue ball gives the opponent a favorable opportunity to take over. Raga then won three straight racks through escapes and combinations to make it 5–3. Another scratch on the break, however, allowed Chua to extend the gap again to 6–3.

Neither player consistently capitalized on opportunities in the middle of the match. Chua once left the cue ball obstructed and then failed to execute a curved escape, while Raga gradually reduced the deficit to 7–6. Chua missed an attempt on the 4-ball in the next rack, but Raga also failed to pot it, bringing another safety exchange. Chua ultimately took the rack to steady his lead at 8–6.

A break foul at 10–9 provides the final opportunity

Chua then ran out to extend his advantage, before Raga pulled another rack back. A subsequent shot-clock foul by Raga returned the table to Chua, who reached the hill at 10–7. In a race-to-eleven final, he needed just one more rack for the title.

Raga remained in the contest. He first capitalized on Chua's dry break to close to 10–8, then cut it to 10–9 after an error in his opponent's escape. In the last rack, Raga scratched on the break for the fourth time. Chua took ball in hand and ran out to finish the final 11–9.

Chua said afterward that winning a major event in his own country had always been a dream, and that he was both grateful for the opportunity and relieved. He also praised Raga as a strong opponent. Having faced him many times before, Chua felt honored to contest a title on the same stage.

From an all-Filipino last four to the title

In the semi-finals, Chua beat Bernie Regalario 10–2 and Raga eliminated Baseth Mocaibat 10–6. Filipinos occupied all four semi-final places, ensuring in advance that a home player would lift the trophy. Chua ultimately turned that opportunity into a championship.

Chua won the title in his first Matchroom Major appearance of the year. The final's progression from 5–0 to 10–9 also shows that his early advantage did not remove the pressure at the end. Raga repeatedly closed the gap, but scratches on the break kept surrendering the table, with the last directly leaving Chua the chance to finish the match.

Final-day results