Day three delivered major upsets in the Vietnamese capital as defending champion Johann Chua and World No.1 Fedor Gorst both suffered shock exits, while World Champion Carlo Biado, Aloysius Yapp, and Jayson Shaw powered through to the Last 16.
The 2025 Hanoi Open Pool Championship — the third edition of this prestigious Matchroom Major on the World Nineball Tour — takes place at the Vietnam National Sports Complex in Hanoi, Vietnam, from 8–12 October.
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Defending champion Johann Chua’s campaign came to a premature end after falling to Jonas Souto, last year’s UK Open finalist, in a tense 10–7 defeat during the Last 64 stage. The Filipino star’s attempt to retain his maiden title was halted by a resilient Souto, who capitalised on key errors in the closing racks.
Chua reflected: “Today just wasn’t my day. I made too many mistakes at important moments, and Jonas took full advantage. That’s the game sometimes — at this level, small errors can cost you everything. Of course, I’m disappointed to be out, but I’ll take it as a lesson and come back stronger next time.”
Joining Chua on the sidelines was World No.1 Fedor Gorst, who fell 10–6 to Greece’s George Antonakis in another major surprise. Despite a strong start to the week, the top seed’s title hopes ended earlier than expected as Antonakis got the better of the American.
Gorst commented: “It’s tough to take, but I have to give George credit. I had my chances but couldn’t make the most of them. I came here to prove myself in Hanoi, but it just wasn’t meant to be this time.”
While the headlines centred on shock exits, World Champion Carlo Biado kept his momentum rolling. Biado cruised through the day with commanding wins over Boris Ivanovski and Dang Thanh Kien to be one of the first players book their spot in the Last 16.
Biado shared: “It’s great to be back in the Last 16 here in Hanoi. The rolls have been going my way, and I feel like my game is right where it needs to be. I’m playing with the same rhythm I had at the World Championship. But I’m not looking too far ahead — two more days, two more steps to go if I want to lift the Hanoi crown.”
Aloysius Yapp continued his march toward a potential fourth consecutive Open title, battling past Tat Duy Kien and fellow Filipino Michael Feliciano to advance. The Singaporean, who has been in sublime form throughout 2025, looked composed as he kept his remarkable run alive.
Yapp said: “My game feels like it’s improving every day, and I think today showed that. Feliciano put up a really solid fight, but a few rolls went my way — they seem to be this year. I’m not thinking too far ahead yet, but I feel confident. If I keep playing my best, I know I can get the job done.”
Former champion Jayson Shaw also impressed, brushing aside Damian Massey 10–1 before defeating Jundel Mazon 10–5 to reach the Last 16 for a third consecutive year.
Shaw said: “I’m proud of my performances today. A strong win over Damian and another good result against Jundel — it feels great to be back in the Last 16 again. Tomorrow’s going to be tough, but I love that pressure. I’ve won here before, and I believe I can do it again.”
The Last 16 is now set for tomorrow, with the tournament moving deeper into the single-elimination stage. Every rack will count as the race for the Hanoi Open crown intensifies, and a new champion prepares to emerge in the heart of Vietnam.
Don’t miss your chance to witness world-class nineball in the heart of Southeast Asia — secure your tickets now.
Fans can follow the full draw and live rack-by-rack scoring at www.wntlivescores.com, with coverage shown on WNT TV internationally, and in Vietnam via the Vietnam Billiards Promotion YouTube Channel and VTVcab.