Rest of World Erases 2-0 Deficit to Level Reyes Cup

Team Rest of the World turned a worrying 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 draw on the opening night of the 2026 Roobet Reyes Cup, winning the final two matches by identical 5-1 scores at Makati Coliseum.

Team Asia controlled the first half of the session through the five-player team match and a convincing doubles win from Carlo Biado and Robbie Capito. Francisco Sanchez Ruiz then stopped the slide against Duong Quoc Hoang before Fedor Gorst and Shane Van Boening completed the recovery against AJ Manas and Albert Januarta.

Match	Result	Overall score after match
Team Asia vs Team Rest of the World	Asia 5-3	Asia 1-0
Biado/Capito vs Filler/Pecelj	Asia 5-1	Asia 2-0
Duong vs Sanchez Ruiz	ROW 5-1	Asia 2-1
Manas/Januarta vs Gorst/Van Boening	ROW 5-1	2-2

How did Team Asia take control of the opening session?

Captain Francisco Bustamante won the opening lag, and Duong converted the early advantage with a break-and-run. Joshua Filler answered for Rest of the World after a safety exchange with 17-year-old Albert Januarta.

The team match then became a series of openings created by errors. Carlo Biado missed the 9-ball and allowed Van Boening to put Rest of the World 2-1 ahead. Fedor Gorst later hooked himself on the 8-ball, giving Capito the chance to level.

AJ Manas survived a dry break when Aleksa Pecelj missed the 7-ball. Francisco Sanchez Ruiz brought the score to 3-3, but Januarta changed the pressure with a golden break to put Asia on the hill.

The final rack was untidy. Biado and Van Boening both missed chances before the Filipino received a favorable roll and closed the match 5-3. Asia had the first point, but the eight-rack contest had already shown how quickly control could move from one team to the other.

Why did Biado and Capito look so comfortable together?

Biado and Capito produced the cleanest performance of Asia's night. They took advantage of a failed jump shot from Pecelj in the first rack, then broke and ran the second for a 2-0 lead.

Filler and Pecelj reduced the gap, but the Asian pair answered with another break-and-run. A failed safety from Filler and a missed 8-ball from Pecelj finished the 5-1 result.

The partnership worked because the roles appeared clear. Biado brought extensive team-event experience and the authority of a reigning world champion. Capito, making his Reyes Cup debut, played without looking overawed by the occasion.

Capito said after the match that Asia had been described as the underdog before the tournament, but warned that Rest of the World would still need its best game. With Biado beside him and Bustamante in the captain's chair, he had experienced support around his debut.

At 2-0 overall, Asia looked ready to extend the pattern of the previous two Reyes Cups. The response arrived immediately.

What changed when Sanchez Ruiz faced Duong?

Sanchez Ruiz gave Rest of the World the controlled singles performance it needed. He took the opening rack after Duong missed the 5-ball, then regained the lead with a break-and-run after the Vietnamese player leveled.

The fourth rack was the turning point. Duong produced an excellent kick to pocket the 3-ball during a safety exchange and appeared set to tie the match at 2-2. He then missed the 9-ball.

Sanchez Ruiz accepted the chance, moved 3-1 ahead and did not allow the match to reopen. He reached the hill quickly and sealed a 5-1 victory after Duong hooked himself from the break.

The score mattered more than style. Rest of the World had lost both opening matches and needed to stop Asia from carrying a three-point lead into the last contest. Sanchez Ruiz cut the overall deficit to one and placed pressure back on the young Asian doubles pair waiting next.

How did Gorst and Van Boening complete the comeback?

Gorst and Van Boening brought years of Mosconi Cup experience into a match against Manas and Januarta, the youngest pairing of the session. The difference appeared in the tight moments.

Manas missed the 6-ball in the first rack and made another error in the second. The American pair moved 2-0 ahead before adding a clean break-and-run.

The pressure increased when Manas scratched on the 8-ball, sending Gorst and Van Boening to the hill at 4-0. A failed bank from Van Boening allowed Asia to avoid the shutout, but Manas later missed a bank on the 2-ball and Rest of the World completed another 5-1 win.

Gorst pointed to experience after the match, saying his side had won the close racks and played smart. That assessment captured the difference. Manas and Januarta created chances, but the older partnership finished more of the sequences that began without an obvious winner.

Two matches earlier, Rest of the World had been 2-0 down. By the end of the night, it had won 10 of the final 12 racks.

What does a 2-2 score mean for the rest of the Reyes Cup?

The draw removes any early comfort Team Asia might have gained from its fast start. The defending champion still showed depth: Januarta contributed a golden break in the team match, Capito won on debut and Biado helped deliver both Asian points.

Rest of the World proved that its lineup can respond under pressure. Sanchez Ruiz supplied the first point when defeat would have created a serious gap, while Gorst and Van Boening justified the decision to pair them together.

The wider contest is a race to 11 points. Four points have been awarded, leaving both teams nine short of the trophy. Day One did not create a leader, but it established two very different ways to win: Asia's early opportunism and Rest of the World's forceful response.

Team Asia is chasing a third consecutive Reyes Cup title. Rest of the World is trying to win the event for the first time after losing 11-3 in 2025.

Where can fans follow Day Two?

The 2026 Reyes Cup continues at Makati Coliseum through October 18. Each session is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. Philippine time.

US viewers can watch on ESPN+ through the ESPN App or WNT TV. Philippine coverage is available through ONE Sports and its digital platforms, while WNT TV serves other supported territories.

What was the score after Day One of the 2026 Reyes Cup?

Team Asia and Team Rest of the World finished the opening day tied at 2-2.

Who won matches for Team Asia?

Asia won the opening team match 5-3, and Carlo Biado with Robbie Capito won their doubles match 5-1.

Who led the Rest of the World comeback?

Francisco Sanchez Ruiz beat Duong Quoc Hoang 5-1 before Fedor Gorst and Shane Van Boening defeated AJ Manas and Albert Januarta 5-1.

What is the winning target in the Reyes Cup?

The first team to reach 11 points wins the Reyes Cup.