Christian Perez pulled off the coup of the weekend on the PDC Asian Tour: two titles in two days in Singapore, a rise to second place in the rankings and a very clear statement in the race for international spots. For the Filipino player, this is not just a fine run of form. It is the sort of run that could prove decisive when PDC spots are decided based on consistency over an entire season.
The Asian Tour resumed on 11 and 12 July in Singapore with Events 17 to 20, following the stop in Mongolia in May. Four tournaments were on the programme, and the weekend revolved around three names: Motomu Sakai, still top of the rankings; Christian Perez, who bagged a double; and Lourence Ilagan, who returned to the fore in the final event.
Perez, the real winner of the weekend in Singapore
The highlight of the day was this: Perez won Events 18 and 19, and he did so without giving the impression that he was simply capitalising on a fortuitously open draw. In Event 18, he first knocked out Sakai in the semi-final with an average reported to be over 102. He then dominated Alexis Toylo 5-1 in the final to claim his first title of the year on the circuit.
The following day, he did it all over again. Same opponent in the final, same score, but an even more telling context: Toylo still managed an average of 97.06. Perez therefore held his own against a formidable statistical challenge, before clinching a second consecutive title. Along the way, he also beat Man-Lok Leung, Paul Lim and Lourence Ilagan. In other words: this double victory didn’t come out of nowhere.
| Event | Winner | Final |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Motomu Sakai | Sakai beats Lok Yin-Lee |
| 18 | Christian Perez | Perez beats Alexis Toylo 5-1 |
| 19 | Christian Perez | Perez beats Alexis Toylo 5-1 |
| 20 | Lourence Ilagan | Ilagan beats Paolo Nebrida |
Sakai remains top, but Perez is making a strong comeback
Motomu Sakai certainly didn’t waste his weekend - far from it. The Japanese player won Event 17, his second title of the season, and retains top spot in the rankings. His best performance came as early as the round of 32, with a 4-1 victory over Qingyu Zhan, averaging over 102 and throwing two legs in 14 darts.
What followed was more consistent than spectacular, but enough to confirm his status: Sakai beat Ryusei Azemoto in the quarter-finals, then Rolly Gabiana and Lok Yin-Lee to claim the title. Following a difficult World Cup with Japan - who were knocked out in the group stage alongside Haruki Muramatsu - this response counts for a lot. But it does not overshadow the main story of the weekend: Perez picked up the most points and is closing the gap.
Ilagan snatches the final title and remains in contention
The fourth tournament served as a reminder that the Philippine scene remains incredibly competitive. Lourence Ilagan won Event 20 by coming from behind to defeat Paolo Nebrida after trailing 4-2 in the final. Three straight legs, a title, and a place in the top 10 of the rankings despite missing eight out of twenty events: here too, the signs are promising.
Ilagan notably knocked out the Japanese players Yuya Fukuchi and Haruki Muramatsu along the way. This is no small feat for a player who competed in his seventh World Championship at Alexandra Palace this year. His margin for error remains slim, but his return to the fray makes the end of the Asian tour much more wide open.
Why this Asian tour now matters
On paper, these are secondary circuit titles. In reality, the PDC Asian Tour shapes part of the path to the major PDC stages. That is exactly what makes Perez’s double victory so interesting: he isn’t just winning two tournaments; he’s changing the dynamics of the rankings race and positioning himself in a zone where every weekend could count.
For us, the angle is similar to the one we followed with Adam Sevada’s world qualification: regional tours often reveal the next faces to watch as the PDC season draws to a close with its major events. Perez has just moved right up the list. Time will tell whether he can turn this double victory into a major breakthrough, but the highlight of the weekend is already clear.
Source: PDC.
