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| Johann Chua said that bathroom breaks during international billiards matches are just normal and only showed what Jaybee Sucal needs to learn more for bigger success. Matchroom Pool |
MANILA—Newly crowned Philippines Open champion Johann Chua downplayed a publicized concern regarding players calling for bathroom breaks to freeze their opponents' momentum during the five-day tournament at the Gateway Mall 2 Quantum Skyview in Quezon City.
The world number 10 said on Saturday night that taking a pee in-game is just normal and, in fact, is also a good strategy to call for a timeout.
"Normal naman yan. Isa talaga sa mga strategies talaga yung break. Siyempre, momentum 'yan," Chua said.
He added that a billiards player calling for a CR break to recover is similar to a basketball coach calling a timeout when the game is slipping out of their hands.
"Wala ring pinag-iba sa basketball ’yan. Nagta-timeout din yung coach kapag momentum ng kalaban, so ganoon lang din 'yan," Chua continued.
The alleged "CR break meta" came to light when teenage sensation Jaybee Sucal, although in jest, took note of how Denis Grabe suddenly surged ahead after he called for a bathroom break down 1-4.
Grabe won nine of the next 10 racks to eliminate Sucal, arguably the biggest crowd favorite, after the Round of 64 on Thursday night.
"Simula noong umihi siya, wala na eh. Nasira yung momentum ko. Ang tagal bumalik," Sucal said after the loss, drawing laughs from the fans who were waiting for the media interview to be finished at the mixed zone before the meet-and-greet session.
He even joked, "Sana noong nakapuntos siya, dapat umihi rin ako nang matagal para hindi niya ma-straight."
However, according to the 34-year-old veteran, Sucal's comment on Grabe's CR break showed the inexperience of the 18-year-old prodigy in international tournaments.
"Si Jaybee kasi hindi masyadong sumasali sa tournament, so baka nabigla siya rin sa ganoon-ganoon kasi yung kalaban niya, beterano yan. Alam niya kung paano gagawin niya," Chua further said, adding that Grabe, the reigning Arizona Open champ, may have done the same against him if he was up 4-1.
Even after Sucal kissed his bid goodbye, more cases of CR breaks happened in the Philippines Open that eventually turned the tide in matches, which became more noticeable because only four tables were used.
In the end, though, Chua bucked off his opponents' plans to rule the tournament, the last open tournament of the World Nine-Ball Tour for 2026 before ending the season with the Mosconi Cup.
