The field is set for the Last 16 of the Mansion Sports Hanoi Open, with defending champion Jayson Shaw advancing alongside a powerhouse Filipino contingent at the Hanoi Indoor Games Gymnasium in Vietnam.
Returning for its second edition, the highly anticipated Hanoi Open Pool Championship is presented in partnership with leading sports investment firm Mansion Sports & Entertainment Group and renowned broadcaster Vietcontent.
Shaw’s momentum carried into the fourth day, with two commanding wins as he continues his impressive title defence. Shaw first faced young American Landon Hollingsworth in the Last 64 and quickly built a 7-3 lead. However, Hollingsworth fought back, capitalising on a few errors to close in on Shaw, who waited on the hill. Just when it seemed Landon would level the score, a crucial missed 3-ball allowed Shaw back to the table, where he fluked the 9-ball to claim a narrow 10-8 victory.
Shaw wasted no time in the Last 32, delivering a dominant 10-3 win over China’s Wang Ming, becoming the first player to qualify for the Last 16 as he continues his relentless title defence.
The pursuit of a maiden Hanoi Open title ended abruptly for World Champion Fedor Gorst, who had to concede his match against James Aranas due to illness. The Dodong Diamond Aranas advanced to the Last 16 after a dramatic 10-8 win over Chang Yu Lung, sealing his place in the next stage.
Ko Ping Chung put on a show in his Last 64 match, notching a golden break to secure a 10-6 win over Michael Baonan. Ko continued his strong form, overpowering Shane Wolford 10-4 to join his brother Ko Pin Yi in the Last 16. Ko Pin Yi, meanwhile, toppled Americans Max Eberle and Tyler Styer to also progress.
In a major upset, Vietnam’s rising star Duong Quoc Hoang was knocked out by Dean Shields in a tense 10-8 match. Shields delivered a decisive 4-9 combo to send the Reyes Cup star home. However, Shields’ run ended in the Last 32, as Spain’s David Alcaide overpowered him 10-3 to advance. Alcaide will be joined in the Last 16 by fellow Spaniard Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, who secured two solid victories over Raymund Faraon and Kuo Po Cheng.
Shane Van Boening faced a nail-biting Last 64 match against European Open champion Mickey Krause. The Danish Viking led 9-6 and seemed poised for victory, but a dry break gave Van Boening a chance to fight back. The South Dakota Kid managed to level the match, but a self-inflicted snooker on the 4-ball forced a jump shot attempt, which he missed. Krause, with the win in sight, twitched on a routine 5-ball, allowing Van Boening to steal the match 10-9.
Van Boening then met Italy’s Francesco Candela in the Last 32, where he delivered a commanding 10-2 victory to reach the Last 16 of the Hanoi Open for the first time.
Last year’s Hanoi Junior Open champion AJ Manas faced former World Champion Carlo Biado in the Last 32. Despite Manas taking an early lead, Biado staged a comeback in a tense, back-and-forth encounter. Both players capitalised on each other’s mistakes, but it was a failed safety by Manas in the final rack that handed Biado the victory, sending the junior champion out and propelling Biado into the Last 16.
Biado joins a Filipino-dominated Last 16 lineup, which includes James Aranas, Johann Chua, Jeffrey Ignacio, Jefrey Roda, and Mansion Sports Hanoi Open qualifier Harry Vergara. With six Filipino cueists poised to face off against top players from around the globe, the Last 16 promises to deliver thrilling action.
LAST 16 MATCHES
Defending champion, Jayson Shaw (UK) vs Edward Koyongian (INS)
Johann Chua (PHI) vs Jeffrey Ignacio (PHI)
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (SPA) vs Skyler Woodward (USA)
Carlo Biado (PHI) vs Ko Ping Chung (TPE)
James Aranas (PHI) vs Kledio Kaçi (ALB)
Ko Pin Yi (TPE) vs David Alcaide (SPA)
Shane Van Boening (USA) vs Harry Vergara (PHI)
Jefrey Roda (PHI) vs Andri Januarta (INS)
SPECTATOR TICKETS
Spectators will be able to catch the action live from the Hanoi Indoor Games Gymnasium in Hanoi throughout the week, with tickets available here.
SCHEDULE
The Mansion Sports Hanoi Open Pool Championship will take place from 8-13 October.
October 12th:
Afternoon: 12pm – 4:30pm
Evening: 6:30pm – 11pm
October 13th:
Afternoon: 12pm – 4:30pm
Evening: 6:30pm – 9:30pm
LIVE SCORING
The only way to track all matches across the Mansion Sports Hanoi Open Pool Championship, as well as the latest scores, seeded draws and fixtures at Matchroom events, is through the WNT Live Scoring site here.
Meucci Cues is adding another champion to their stable of sponsored players with the signing of Kaylee McIntosh.
McIntosh is in her 3rd year as a WPBA Touring pro and is currently ranked #9 on the WPBA points list. She is the 3rd highest ranked American player on tour, trailing only Allison Fisher and April Larson.
McIntosh is a multi time winner on the Tiger Florida Tour and has turned in top eight finishes in her last three WPBA events.
“I couldn’t be more excited to represent the Meucci brand. They are a well respected brand in the billiards community and I love that they are proudly made in the USA. I’m looking forward to the future and a great partnership with Meucci.” said McIntosh.
Seth Randall from Meucci Cues added “Partnering with such a promising talent aligns perfectly with our vision. Kaylee has the skill, determination, and passion to not only excel but inspire the new generation of pool players. We’re excited to support her journey and be a part of her success story.”
As human beings, we do like our ‘underdog’ stories, which can trace their distinctly Western- culture origins back to the Old Testament’s David and Goliath. We fast-forward through to theragtag crowd of farmers, blacksmiths and shopkeepers who defeated the mighty British Empire that created out nation and onward, to Dorothy and the witches of Oz and much later, the sports battle between the Giants and Patriots in Superbowl XLII.
To the best of our knowledge, Ashley Benoit and Karen Corr had never met, at the tables, prior to this past weekend’s(Oct. 5-6), 2nd Annual Pennsylvania State Women’s 8-Ball Championships. Benoit went undefeated and Corr was runner-up at the $2,000-added event, a collaborative effort of the J. Pechauer Northeast Women’s Tour (JPNEWT) and PA Pro-Am Pool, which drew 34 entrants to Bluegrass Billiards in Philadelphia. In its inaugural year, the event crowned Briana Miller as its first champion, with Elise Qui as runner-up and Skylar Hess finishing third. Ashley Benoit finished in the tie for 13th.
Benoit’s ‘David’ credentials begin with the fact that she’s only been recording her wins and payouts with us here at AZBilliards for the past three years, recording her first cash payout and her first regional event win at the inaugural Women in Pool’s 9-Ball Championships at Yale Billiards in Wallingford, CT (2022). She has, since that time, recorded 17 cash finishes, including six (two wins) on the J. Pechauer Northeast Women’s Tour and seven at events of the WPBA, with whom she is currently ranked at #22. She was in the midst of her best recorded earnings year before she showed up in Philadelphia.
Karen Corr’s ‘Goliath’ resume dates back to five months after AZBilliards went on-line in 1998. In her best recorded earnings year (2006), she chalked up 16 cash finishes and won three WPBA titles. In those three WPBA finals, she defeated Kelly Fisher, twice (WPBA’s Carolina and Midwest Classic) and Allison Fisher in that year’s WPBA Florida Classic). Corr went on to cash in four other WPBA events that year while competing and cashing in other regional events, like the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour (three times) and its Turning Stone competition (Numbers VI and VII, at that point in time). Her runner-up finish in Pennsylvania was, however, her first cash payout in 2024 and her first shot, competing in a final match at an event title, since she was defeated by JPNEWT’s tour director and top-ranked competitor, Briana Miller, in April of 2023. She recorded her last ‘official’ event victory in 2022, when she and Miller both went undefeated to the finals of a JPNEWT event that employed a Round Robin format, allowing both, through later single-elimination play, to reach the final without a defeat. They opted out of playing that final match and shared the recorded win.
In Philadelphia, they met in the opening round of play and battled to double-hill. Benoit sent Corr to the loss side, where she began an eight-match march back to the finals, which ended up including the defeat of another metaphoric ‘David,’ junior competitor, Skylar Hess in the semifinals.
In races to 5, following her victory over Corr, Benoit followed up by shutting out Kaley Sullivan and defeating Amanda Laverriere (2), to draw Lai Li in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Hess, in the meantime, downed Carol Clark (3), Mindy Maialetti (1), and shut out Anna Marks to draw Rachel Walters in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Identical 5-3 scores sent Hess (over Walters) and Benoit (over Li) to the hot seat match. Benoit and Hess battled to double hill in that match, until Benoit prevailed and claimed the seat.
Karen Corr played 25 games over the five matches she played to reach Rachel Walters. She won 20 of them, which included the elimination of Giovanna Napolitano 4-2 and Briana Miller 4-1. Lai Li came over from the winners’ side semifinal loss to Benoit and picked up Dawn Luz, who’d lost her third-round match to Walters 5-2 and then defeated Kaley Sullivan, double hill, and Rebecca Hilton 4-2.
Corr gave up just a single rack to Walters, as Li was busy shutting out Luz. For personal reasons, Lai Li (who’d finished in the tie for 5th in last year’s event) withdrew from the quarterfinals, allowing Corr to leapfrog into the semifinals against Skylar Hess, who was looking for her first professional win on either a regional tour/event or the WPBA. Having finished third in this past August’s MD State Ladies 9-Ball Championships (behind Briana Miller and Tina Malm), Hess was competing to appear in her first (recorded) professional final. Corr defeated her 4-1 and advanced for the rematch against Benoit.
It was shaping up as another race-to-five, double-hill battle but didn’t quite make it. Benoit edged out in front at the end and claimed the PA State Women’s 8-Ball title 5-3.
Tour directors Briana Miller from the JPNEWT and Frank Maialetti from PA Pro-Am Pool thanked the ownership and staff at Bluegrass Billiards for their hospitality, along with sponsors J. Pechauer Custom Cues, Kamui, Crossroad Cues, MindForge Nutrition, M & TS Billiard Instruction, Cue Pocket, LLC, Perceptive Lighting, InTheBox Sportwear, Marty Magee’s Irish , The Players’ Choice Pool Table Repair, Matchroom Pool and Trophy Smack.
The next event on the JPNEWT calendar, scheduled for this weekend (Oct. 11-13), will be Allen Hopkins’ 1st Annual Atlantic City 9-Ball Championship at the Showboat Hotel on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. The following week, the JPNEWT will return to Pennsylvania for a $1,000-added event at Eagle Billiards in Dickson City, PA.
The next event for PA Pro-Am Pool, scheduled for Oct. 26-27, will be the PA State (Open) 8-Ball Championships, once again at Bluegrass Billiards.
Mansion Sports, a leading private equity firm based in the UK, specializing in investments across sports facilities, sports news portals, and sports entertainment, has announced its partnership with billiards icon Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes, coinciding with the launch of Mansion Sports Billiards, an eCommerce platform catering to global billiards enthusiasts. This strategic move underscores Mansion Sports’ commitment to elevating the billiards experience worldwide.
The partnership encompasses a series of events and tournaments showcasing high-level billiards play, as well as projects aimed at fostering a deeper connection with the sport’s enthusiasts. With Reyes’s involvement, these initiatives are poised to deliver thrilling matches and dynamic gameplay, leaving a lasting impact on the billiards community.
To kickoff the partnership, Mansion Sports unveiled Mansion Sports Billiards, an eCommerce site offering premium billiard products globally. Featuring high-quality cues, stylish tables, and top-notch accessories, the platform aims to enhance enthusiasts’ playing experience. Initially rolling out in Vietnam, Mansion Sports Billiards plans for global expansion.
Reyes, renowned for his exceptional skill and long-standing dominance in billiards, joins Mansion Sports as Brand Ambassador. This partnership will leverage Reyes’s stature in the billiards community to bolster Mansion Sports’ presence through various events and initiatives.
“We are honored to have Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes as a Mansion Sports Brand Ambassador and are excited to work together to bring the sport of billiards to new heights.“ said Denis Keet, Managing Director of Mansion Sports.
“We believe that Reyes brings decades of experience and a storied career to the partnership. His achievements have not only earned him numerous titles and awards but also a substantial fan base and respect within the sports community,” Keet added.
For more information, please visit mansionsports.com or follow Mansion Sports on social media for the latest updates.
The World Nineball Tour are delighted to announce that BetVictor, a leading online gambling company, will be the title sponsor for the 2024 UK Open Pool Championship, at Telford International Centre, Telford, England May 7-12, live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom & Ireland.
Bringing together an impressive field size of 256 competing players, including the top 128 World Nineball Tour professional players as well as football icon Troy Deeney, the 2024 UK Open Pool Championship is set to be one of the most iconic nine-ball major events on the WNT calendar this year.
CEO of Matchroom Multi Sports, Emily Frazer, said: “We are thrilled to welcome BetVictor as the title sponsor of the highly anticipated 2024 UK Open Pool Championship. We have a great relationship with BetVictor across the Matchroom Sport group and we couldn’t be more delighted to see them extend their support into the world of pool.”
“TheUK Open is one of the stand-out tournaments in the nine-ball calendar, featuring a grand field size of 256 competitive players from across the globe. Eklent Kaçi, the defending champion, is looking to continue his winning streak this year, but with so many victory-hungry cueists playing, anyone can be crowned UK Open champion. All we know is we’re set for a spectacular tournament.”
BetVictor Head of Sponsorship Sam Boswell added “We are delighted to be sponsoring the UK Open, a compelling event awaits, and we want to wish all 256 competitors the very best of luck. We will have our brand-new Lucky Dip wheel feature in operation for the event which will offer customers the chance to get a massive price about the eventual winner. We are really excited to have added Pool into our growing sports sponsorship portfolio which includes the BetVictor Home Nations Snooker Series, The World Cup Of Darts and top level Horse Racing.”
The UK Open Pool Championship is the first Matchroom Major of the 2024 schedule as the calendar builds up to the 31st Mosconi Cup.
Multi-table events are the backbone of the World Nineball Tour, with over 40 hours of poo lat the UK Open set to be live-streamed on Matchroom Pool’s social media channels for the opening four days, with the weekend’s sessions broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom & Ireland as host broadcasters, DAZN in the United States and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Poland and the Baltics. A full list of broadcasters will be published closer to the event.
Ticket Prices
Day Tickets – £20 – £35
Weekend Pass – £50
Season Pass – £125
Secure your seat at the United Kingdom’s most prestigious professional pool tournament in 2024 here.
About BetVictor
BetVictor is a leading global online gambling company. Its focus is to offer customers a simple, intuitive and personal betting experience. Digitally data-led, BetVictor provides in-house technologies and product development capabilities enabling the company to build successful partnerships. With more than 500 employees, BetVictor is an established innovator in the gambling industry.
Established in 1946, Michael Tabor acquired sole-ownership of BetVictor in 2014 having previously been a major shareholder in the business. BetVictor has its headquarters in Gibraltar with tech hubs in London and Budapest. For more information, follow BetVictor on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
To learn more about BetVictor visit us on LinkedIn.
We found a new home at The Renaissance Resort in St. Augustine, Florida, and we couldn’t be happier.
The International will be hosting a variety of new events, featuring the best professional pool players in the world.
Nov. 18-22, 2024: The International 9-Ball Open
Nov. 18-22, 2024: The International Semi-Pro 9-Ball Open
Nov. 20-22, 2024: The International Junior 9-Ball Championship
Nov. 23-24, 2024: The International 10-Ball “Big Foot Challenge” Invitational
Nov. 23-26, 2024: The International Straight Pool Open
(formally known as Peter Burrow’s American 14.1 Straight Pool Championship)
Thirty-two 9-foot Diamond pool tables, plus the Accu-Stats TV Arena table, will be set up in the Renaissance Resort’s spacious 26,000 square foot Tournament Ballroom.
Spectators will enjoy comfortable close-up seats, and above each table a TV monitor will display the players’ names and live scores.
Additionally, the Accu-Stats TV Arena table will provide reserved seating for our featured matches.
Right outside of the Tournament Ballroom, your favorite vendors will be selling everything that’s pool related, including cues, clothing, tables, and accessories.
Naturally, the International will use the finest equipment in the business because great pool players deserve to play with the best equipment.
Diamond Professional Tables
Simonis 860 Cloth
Aramith Belgian Balls
Diamond Lights
Outsville Accu-Rack 9-Ball Templates
St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest city in the US, and offers a variety of activities and attractions to please everyone.Our host, the Renaissance Resort, has two professional world-class golf courses, and offers golf and hotel room discounts for our group.
The World Nineball Tour are excited to announce that Barry Hearn OBE, Chairman of Matchroom Sports, and Andy Goldstein, renowned TalkSport Radio host, will be competing as wildcard players at the US Open Pool Championship at Harrah Resort, Atlantic City 19 – 24 August live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland.
Hearn and Goldstein are set to battle in pool’s most historic tournament, competing in a 256-player field fighting for a prize pool of $300,000 at the New Jersey casino. This is one fans do not want to miss.
The two new US Open wildcards were on TalkSport Radio today (30 April 2024) to speak about the tournament:
Barry Hearn said: “To walk out there and play against one of 128 players from the World Nineball Tour, which are the 128 best Nineball players in the world, is incredible… If I win one rack in the first round, I’ll sleep happy.”
Responding to Hearn’s doubts of either of the two doing well, Andy Goldstein said: “I think you underestimate me… I actually think I have a chance at winning it.”
In preparation for their participation, both Matchroom Sports Chairman and TalkSport Radio host will be dedicating themselves to training regimes in months prior to the American Open.
Since the first event in 1976, the US Open has grown over the decades to become one of the most anticipated events in world pool, with the 43rd anniversary looking to become the most exciting US Open yet.
Broadcast Details
Through a range of global broadcaster partners, the US Open Pool Championship will be broadcast in every country around the globe. Nineball fans in the United Kingdom & Ireland will be able to enjoy via Sky Sports, with those in the United States able to watch through DAZN. Viaplay will broadcast the event in the Netherlands, Poland, Scandinavia and the Baltics.
Further broadcast details will be released in due course with fans outside the listed countries able to watch the US Open via Matchroom.live.
ABOUT WORLD NINEBALL TOUR
Introducing the World Nineball Tour (WNT), a game-changing initiative in professional pool. With a $5 million minimum prize fund and over 40 ranking events worldwide, the WNT heralds a new era for the sport. Committed to fairness, transparency, and commercial viability, the WNT offers players a clear path to success by providing opportunities to accrue World Nineball Ranking points and gain access to prestigious tournaments on the calendar.
The World Nineball Tour is delighted to announce the formation of the Reyes Cup, in partnership with Puyat Sports Inc. and Sky Sports as the broadcaster for the UK and Ireland; a brand-new Invitational event that will see Asia’s finest players take on Team Europe in year one of the event, October 17th-20th.
The inaugural Reyes Cup will be held in Manila, capital of the Philippines, in honour of pool’s greatest player and tournament namesake, Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes. A world champion and US Open Pool Championship winner, Reyes is widely regarded as the sport’s greatest-ever player, serving as inspiration for millions of pool fans across the globe. Partnering with Francisco Bustamante to form an all-time dream partnership, the Magician also won the World Cup of Pool for the Philippines in 2009.
The tournament will follow in the footsteps of the four-day team format of the prestigious Mosconi Cup, which celebrated its 30th anniversary at Alexandra Palace, London last December. Team Asia will be represented by the top-three ranked players from the World Nineball Rankings one-year list, with two additional wildcards selected by Team Asia captain.
Aloysius Yapp of Singapore currently tops the Race to the Reyes Cup for Team Asia after winning the International Open last October, with Mosconi Cup stalwart David Alcaide leading the charge for Team Europe.
Cut-offs for qualification for the Reyes Cup will occur in three stages, with one player announced for each team following the World Pool Championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the European Open in Fulda, Germany and the US Open Pool Championship in Atlantic City, USA. This will be in effect for both Team Asia and Team Europe with player rankings taken from the 2024 one-year list.
Mr Efren “Bata” Reyes said: “I am truly humbled and honored that Matchroom has chosen to name this prestigious event after me. The Efren Reyes Cup is not just a tournament; it’s a celebration of the sport we love, and I am excited to see the pool community come together for its first edition in the Philippines.”
Mr Aristeo “Putch” Puyat said: “The Efren Reyes Cup is not just a tournament; it’s a testament to the passion and dedication that Efren Reyes has brought to the world of pool. Teaming up with Matchroom Sports, we at Puyat Sports are thrilled to bring this event to our home country, further solidifying the Philippines’ status as a hub for billiards excellence.”
Matchroom Multi Sport CEO Emily Frazer added: “The Reyes Cup sees a dream become a reality. Thanks to our partners at Sky Sports, the 30-year success of the Mosconi Cup has paved the way to deliver this format to a global audience. Given the storied history the Philippines has on the sport, it is only right that we honour Efren in his home country. It was a privilege to welcome him and dear friend Putch Puyat to the Hanoi Open last year. Efren’s passion for the sport has been unwavering for over 50 years, he is the perfect figurehead for this tournament and our sport. I couldn’t be more delighted than to be working alongside such a legend and organisation in Puyat Sports.”
Venue and ticket details will be released in due course, with fans able to register for ticket alerts here.
ABOUT WORLD NINEBALL TOUR
Introducing the World Nineball Tour (WNT), a game-changing initiative in professional pool. With a $5 million minimum prize fund and over 40 ranking events worldwide, the WNT heralds a new era for the sport. Committed to fairness, transparency, and commercial viability, the WNT offers players a clear path to success by providing opportunities to accrue World Nineball Ranking points and gain access to prestigious tournaments on the calendar.
The World Nineball Tour is delighted to announce that renowned footballer Troy Deeney will be gracing the tables as a wild card player for the UK Open Pool Championship at Telford International Centre, Telford May 7 – 12 2024 live on Sky Sports.
Deeney, whose passion for sports transcends the football pitch, is set to bring his competitive spirit to the realm of pool in the first Matchroom Major event of the year. As a wildcard entrant, the Ex-Watford FC superstar joins an elite field of players, each competing for the prestigious title and the opportunity to showcase their skills on the British stage.
Troy Deeney said: “I am absolutely buzzing to play at the UK Open Pool Championship. I always fancied myself on the table at the training ground with the boys so when this opportunity came up, I jumped at the chance to put myself to the test against some of the world’s top players and can’t wait to compete on 7th May.”
CEO of Matchroom Multi Sport, Emily Frazer said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Troy Deeney to the UK Pool Open as a wild card player. His presence will undoubtedly heighten the excitement and competitiveness of this iconic World Nineball Tour event.”
The UK Open will be live-streamed on Matchroom Pool’s social media channels for the opening four days. Weekend sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom & Ireland as host broadcasters, DAZN in the United States and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Poland and the Baltics. A full list of broadcasters will be published closer to the event.
Ticket Prices
– Day Tickets: £20 – £25
– Weekend Pass: £50
– Season Pass: £125
ABOUT WORLD NINEBALL TOUR
Introducing the World Nineball Tour (WNT), a game-changing initiative in professional pool. With a $5 million minimum prize fund and over 40 ranking events worldwide, the WNT heralds a new era for the sport. Committed to fairness, transparency, and commercial viability, the WNT offers players a clear path to success by providing opportunities to accrue World Nineball Ranking points and gain access to prestigious tournaments on the calendar.
The draw for the 30th Anniversary of World Pool Masters has been made with defending champion Ko Pin Yi set to meet David Alcaide in the opening match of the tournament from April 25-28 2024 at Halle39, in Hildesheim, Germany in partnership with local organiser Moltke Sports and host broadcaster Sky Sports.
World Pool Masters will maintain last year’s most challenging format, with 16 players competing to take home a $40,000 share from an enticing $125,000 prize pool. Opening round ties will be Race to 9 with the Matchroom break box, magic-racking, and winner breaks in action with the tournament stretching going to race to 10 for the quarter finals, 11 for the semi-finals, and 13 for the final.
The top 14 players from the World Nineball Tour Rankings following the FSR91 Open received invitations, plus two wildcard entries. The players ranked 1-8 were seeded and paired against the remaining players in the draw, which was conducted two weeks prior to the opening matches.
Defending champion Ko Pin Yi will meet ‘El Matador’ David Alcaide in the first round, while World Champion and WNT No.1 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz faces wild card James Aranas once again in the tournament after last year’s opening round encounter. Shane Van Boening, the only player to ever win the title back-to-back, seeks redemption as he faces Duong Quoc Hoang, who knocked out the ‘South Dakota Kid’ in last year’s World Champions. Whichever of the two secures the win will be expected to face the victor of Jayson ‘Eagle Eye’ Shaw vs Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp.
Adding to the excitement, Albin Ouschan will face former World Cup of Pool teammate Max Lechner in a battle of the Austrians. The winner of that tie will then have to take on either WNT No.2 Fedor Gorst or ‘The Panda’ Mario He. The winner between Joshua Filler and Eklent Kaçi, who will reunite following their clash in last year’s UK Open final, will either compete against Wiktor Zielinski or defending US Open champion Ko Ping Chung, to complete the opening round match-ups.
In partnership with local organiser Moltke Sports, the 2024 World Pool Masters is live globally wherever fans are in the world including Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in the USA, Brazil, Spain and Italy as well as on Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, Poland, and Matchroom.Live in selected territories.
Broadcaster List
AMC Network – Hungary
Dazn – USA, Brazil, Spain, Italy
Foxtel – Australia
Nova – Czech Republic & Slovakia
Sky Network – New Zealand
Sportklub – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia
Sportscast – Indonesia & Chinese Taipei
Supersport – South Africa & Africa
Tap – Philippines
Viaplay – Baltics, Scandinavia, Netherlands, Poland, and Iceland
