Defending Champion Eklent Kaçi’s title defence kicked off with tough battle against Jose Alberto Delgado on the opening day of the BetVictor 2024 UK Open Pool Championship at the Telford International Centre, with the likes of Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Fedor Gorst, Shane Van Boening, and Duong Quoc Hoang amongst the list of top names to not fumble yet live on broadcasters worldwide, including DAZN, Viaplay, and Sky Sports in the UK.
Kaçi faced a testing start on day one, locked in a neck-and-neck matchup with Spanish player Jose Alberto Delgado. Delgado took an early lead, but Kaçi rallied back after a series of rack wins exchanged between the two. Despite miscuing the 9-ball in rack 16, Kaçi managed to regain control after a scratch from break, securing his first win of the tournament.
Top-ranked players like No.1 WNT Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Shane Van Boening, Fedor Gorst, Joshua Filler, and Mario He had smooth victories in their opening matches. However, the Austrian, Max Lechner faced his first defeat against Cypriot Antonis Brabin, who finished the day with two consecutive wins.
Duong Quoc Hoang continued his winning streak from the Scottish Open, defeating Spencer Oliver from Great Britain and the American Danny Olsen with scores of 9-2 each. Meanwhile, last year’s World Cup of Pool winner, Johann Chua, dominated Vincent Facquet 9-0 and later secured a close 9-7 win against fellow Filipino Bernie Reglario.
The Ko brothers, Pin Yi and Ping Chung, sailed through their initial rounds in the UK Open, while Ko Ping Han made a remarkable comeback against Korean star Seo Seoa. However, Ping Han fell short against the Brit Imran Majid in his second match, losing 9-7.
2023 World Pool Championship finalist, Mohammad Soufi faced off against Lin Tsung Han from Chinese Taipei, narrowly clinching a 9-7 victory. However, Soufi struggled in his following match against the rising star Sam ‘Ryno’ Henderson, who capitalised on Soufi’s errors to secure a well-fought win.
Adding to the excitement, Kledio Kaçi, the younger brother of the defending UK Open champion, made a memorable impression on day one, with a decisive 9-1 victory against Ali Asgar Merchant, followed by a 9-5 win against the Estonian, Denis Grabe.
Pia Filler, the first signed woman WNT professional, delivered a strong performance against Chris Wattanawonna, winning 9-5 against the Thai player. However, Filler faced a challenging match against Dutch cueist, Marc Bijsterbosch, losing in a tense hill-hill battle.
Commentating duo Jeremy Jones and Karl Boyes had mixed results on day one; Jones lost to Babken Melkonyan in a hill-hill match, while ‘Box Office’ Boyes defeated Konrad Juszczyszyn with a commendable 9-6 win. However, Boyes failed to maintain his momentum against the Indonesian Alvin Anggito, who showcased his skill with a dominant 9-2 victory in the pair’s second match.
Live rack-by-rack scoring will be available throughout the event at www.wntlivescores.com.
Wherever you are in the world, you will be able to catch the action with broadcasters globally and live on the Matchroom Pool and Multi Sport YouTube channels in selected territories and on Matchroom.Live. UK-based fans can see the final two days on Sky Sports with the opening four on Matchroom.Live and the Matchroom YouTube. Fans in the USA and Brazil will be able to watch all six days live on DAZN whilst those in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Poland, Netherlands, and Iceland can watch live on Viaplay.
Spectators will be able to catch the action live from the Telford International Centre throughout the week, with day tickets available from £22 and weekend passes for fans to take in the final two days for just £50.
Secure your ticket here
Shane Van Boening (Taka G Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)
Shane Van Boening will begin the defense of his World Pool Championship title against Japan’s Masato Yoshioka in Kielce, Poland from February 1-5 live on Sky Sports in the UK, Viaplay in Poland, Scandinavia and the Baltics, DAZN in the USA as well as Matchroom.Live and networks worldwide.
The American will look to become only the second player in history to defend the title following in the footsteps of Earl Strickland in a packed arena at Targi Kielce. 46 countries will be represented in the 128-player field as it is whittled down to the Last 64 over the first two days of action before it’s straight knockout to the end where one will claim the $60,000 first-place prize and the world crown.
The draw was completed with the top 64 players from the Nineball World Rankings against an unseeded player from the other 64 in the hat. Standout first-round ties include 2015 world champion Ko Pin Yi facing James Aranas of the Philippines whilst 2022 semi-finalist Abdullah Alyousef faces the tricky prospect of Johann Chua. 2004 world champion Alex Pagulayan was unseeded and will meet Michael Schneider.
World Cup of Pool winner David Alcaide takes on Billy Thorpe and Shane Wolford‘s mission for a spot on Team USA at the 2023 Mosconi Cup takes on Pia Filler. Francisco Sanchez Ruiz had a year to remember last year and will begin his Nineball campaign against So Shaw of Iran.
Double elimination matches are all race to 9, with all matches from the Last 64 a race to 11 except the final, which is a race to 13.
Table 1 will be live on broadcasters worldwide including Sky Sports in the UK, Viaplay in Poland, Scandinavia, Baltics, and the Netherlands, DAZN in the USA, Canada, and Italy, as well as on Matchroom.Live and networks worldwide. See where to watch here.
Table 2 will be live on Viaplay in selected territories as well as on Matchroom.Live and the Matchroom Pool YouTube channel.
Table 3 will be live on Viaplay in selected territories as well as on Matchroom.Live and the Matchroom Multi Sport YouTube channel.
Shane Van Boening crashed out of the 2022 US Open Pool Championship in a hill-hill defeat to Alexander Kazakis as only 16 remain at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City ahead of the final two days of action.
Van Boening began the day on the hunt for a record-breaking sixth US Open but it was the case of the champagne being put on ice for at least another year. The World Champion came up Kazakis in full steam ahead mode as the Greek rattled up a 5-0 lead without breaking stride against the American great. Kazakis has had mixed fortune against Van Boening in recent times, defeating him in the final of the 2021 World Pool Masters in a whitewash before tasting defeat at the World Pool Championship semi-final stage back in April.
Kazakis lost his way in the middle of the match as Van Boening rallied to 5-5 and soon 7-5 to lead with an opportunity to reach the hill first. A scratch on the break for Van Boening though brought Kazakis back into it and 7-7. In the next rack, Kazakis missed the two ball and Van Boening reached the hill first.
At times, Kazakis has been doubted and questioned but today wasn’t going to be one of those days, back at the table at 8-8 breaking for the match, he was hooked when looking to make the two ball. One bank later from Kazakis and the table was clear for him to run out and secure a memorable win. For Van Boening, the wait goes on but all is not lost with the conclusion of the inaugural SVB Junior Open set to unfold tomorrow afternoon.
Skyler Woodward will have mixed emotions after today after the two-time Mosconi Cup MVP fell at the hands of Chang Jung-Lin who was on a rampage at times in a 9-4 win but with results going his way, the Kentucky Kid ensured a Mosconi Cup automatic spot to avoid leaving it up to Jeremy Jones‘ wild card picks. Greg Hogue was also in the Mosconi Cup reckoning for an automatic spot until defeat to Marc Bijsterbosch saw the American bow out 9-2. That news was good for Oscar Dominguez though who will return to the Mosconi Cup for the first time in five years off the Live Nineball World Rankings.
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz had a day to remember, before he even played Ralf Souquet in the Last 64, he knew he would be making his Mosconi Cup debut for Team Europe come November 30 to December 3 as the Spaniard secured the second automatic spot off the Live Nineball World Rankings due to Ouschan’s defeat to Szewczyk. On a high, Sanchez Ruiz took down Souquet and Wu Kun Lin to reach the Last 16.
Styer’s journey ended at the hands of Mosconi Cup foe Filler leaving his Mosconi Cup hopes in Jones’ hands. The American put on a gutsy display to push Filler all the way before the World Pool Masters champion pulled away to a 9-6 win.
Defending champion Carlo Biado will go again on his hunt for the crown in back-to-back years against Konrad Juszczyszyn. Biado coming through in a repeat of last year’s semi-final against Naoyuki Oi 9-6.
The Union Jack of Great Britain will be kept flying tomorrow by Chris Melling who is experiencing something of a renaissance in the Diamond Arena. Melling seeing off Joven Bustamante 9-4 before an impressive 9-1 win over Badar Alawadhi. The Magician’s match-up with Corteza will kick off the TV coverage tomorrow from 10am ET. SCHEDULE
There were seven rounds of matches today at the Dynamic Billards Slovenian Open, and we’re down to the last four men standing. After a heavy day’s play, the semi-finals are made up of Mario He against Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and Joshua Filler v Ralf Souquet.
Veteran Souquet was the story of the day as he went through the winners side, and then defeated Oliver Szolnoki of Hungary in the last 16 before taking care of Holland’s Marc Bijsterbosch 9-4 to make it through to the final day.
Souquet, 53, has won every title pool has to offer but he is still as competitive as they come, even if the results don’t come quite as often.
Commented Ralf, “It was definitely a pleasant day for me, no doubt! I had four matches and although I didn’t play perfect, I‘m quite happy with my performance today. It seems like I have found the old Ralf Souquet inside again; he was probably a little bit asleep and I woke him up and it looks like the old Ralf is back to the table.
“I always do the same preparation, I always try to practice hard, a lot and I have more practice nowadays than I ever had. I feel way more comfortable. I’ve tried several things over the years to improve my game and change some things, some for good, some not so but I’m in a good way. Being in the semi-final may bring a bit of extra pressure but on the other hand, it’s just another match like any of the other thousands I’ve played.”
He will play Joshua Filler who beat Niels Feijen 9-8 in a match where the table played a significant part in the proceedings. With some of the cushions acting a little bouncy, both players struggled with the speed.
Filler said, “The table was so bouncy and you couldn’t really calculate any shots and then it’s tough to play good. We both tried our best and both wanted to win but it wasn’t a good match as we couldn’t adjust to the table
“I’m happy to win and be in the semi-final but I want to play like it’s just for fun but if conditions are bad, I’m struggling. I’m happy for Ralf as he seemed to be struggling the last few tournaments but he’s playing well and I’ve always watched Ralf as he’s a great player,” he added.
The second semi-final will be between Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, who has stormed the Euro Tour in recent times, racking up three titles and Austria’s Mario He who will be looking to go one better than last time out in Petrich where he fell at the semi-final stage. This time he won a hard-fought contest over Sanjin Pehlivanovic.
“I’m playing very good at the moment; I’m feeling good and my break is working well so I’m very confident playing tomorrow against Sanchez. I’m looking forward to semis and give my all and I’ll try to win it this time. Sometimes you get tired but today I felt really good, didn’t get tired and I could have played another set. Tomorrow, I’ll try to relax and focus on the semi-final.”
For Sanchez-Ruiz, tomorrow presents a golden opportunity to win his fourth Euro Tour title in 14 months but he knows Mario He represents a difficult challenge.
“It was tough day! In the last 32 I had to come back and win on the hill and now with Sanjin I played really good and felt confident but I’m so tired right now! I’ll try and get some rest tonight but don’t play till late afternoon so that will give me plenty of time. I’m really happy with my performance. I’m playing really good this year and on the Euro Tour, I like the format and the break and I really enjoy it,” said the Spaniard.
The first semi-final commences at 16.00 local time with the second following straight after at 17.30. The final gets underway at 19.00.
All the matches can be viewed live at www.kozoom.com as well as selected matches on Facebook Live on the EPBF page. In addition, the semi-finals
and final, played out on Monday night, will be live or highlights on the following television stations across Europe;
SportKlub HD – Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia,
Bosnia Herzegovina, Greece
Eyecons – Netherlands)
SportKlub – Poland
ORF – Austria
B1B Box – Bulgaria
Results, live scoring and draw are available at www.epbf.com
As well as the prize money, there are Tour ranking points on offer as well as world ranking points, so there is everything to play for. All Euro Tour tournaments are 9-ball and players compete in a double-elimination format, playing down to the last 32 competitors, and then single elimination until the finish. All matches are races to 9 racks with alternate break.
Going into the PRP Nineball Open last weekend (Sept. 14-18) at the Exe Boston Hotel in Zaragoza, Spain, the struggle for a 3rd place spot on the Mosconi Cup’s European team, defined, as of August 31, by the Nineball World Rankings, was something of a race between Austria’s Mario He and Spain’s Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz. Both made it undefeated through two separate knockout rounds of the 128-entrant field in Spain. They both went on, undefeated to the finals where Sanchez-Ruiz prevailed to claim the event title, his fourth major title of the year.
With the USA’s Shane Van Boening and Germany’s Joshua Filler holding the top two spots in those Nineball World Rankings and being too far ahead in the rankings to be unseated, each Mosconi Cup team will select two more from the list at the conclusion of the final three ranking events; The Euro Tour Dynamic Billiards Slovenia Open in Lasko, Slovenia (Oct. 1-3), the Sandcastle 9-Ball Open at Sandcastle Billiards in Edison, NJ (Oct. 6-8) and the US Open Pool Championship at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, NJ (Oct. 10-15). With Austria’s Albin Ouschan, who did not compete in Spain, currently in the #3 position in the World Rankings and in the driver’s seat to claim a second spot on the Mosconi Cup team, the third selected seat continues to be a struggle between Sanchez-Ruiz (currently #4) and He (#5). Though at the moment, Sanchez-Ruiz has a commanding lead and seems likely to draw the third pick, it might well continue into next week’s Slovenia Open and depending on whether the two opt for a trip to New Jersey afterwards, it could end up on this side of the Atlantic.
Sanchez-Ruiz and He emerged from separate brackets to advance to the PRP Nineball Open’s final draw of 32. Sanchez-Ruiz, after being awarded an opening round bye, defeated two of his fellow countrymen, Manuel Fernandez and Gabriel Carral 9-2 to qualify for the single-elimination Phase Two (well over 50% of the field was from Spain). He was joined from the winners’ side of the bracket by countrymen Jose Alberto Delgado and Jose Castillo, Lithuania’s Pijus Labutis, Poland’s Wiktor Zielinski and Mieszko Fortunski, Marc Bijsterbosch from the Netherlands and Hungary’s Oliver Szolnoki.
In the other Phase 1 bracket, Mario He (also awarded a bye) defeated Spaniards Amalia Matas 9-4 and Mayte Ropero 9-7 to be among the winners’ side competitors to advance. Germany’s Ralf Souquet was on that list, too, as were Poland’s Konrad Juszczyszyn, Switzerland’s Ronald Regli, Spain’s David Alcaide and Jonas Souto, Estonia’s Denis Grabe and, also in the running for that 3rd spot on the Mosconi Cup team, behind He, Alex Kazakis from Greece.
Sanchez-Ruiz’ toughest battle advancing to the event’s quarterfinals came in the opening round of the single-elimination Round 2, when Francisco Diaz chalked up eight racks against him. From there, it was relatively smooth sailing through Ivan Nunez 11-3 for Sanchez-Ruiz to arrive at his quarterfinal matchup versus Delgado. He, on the other hand, began his single-elimination advancement with two double hill matches against Portugal’s Sara Rocha and Spain’s Iker Echeverria, which he successfully negotiated to face Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Sanjin Pehlivanovic. Three competitors lurking behind Sanchez-Ruiz and He on the rankings list, appeared in the other two quarterfinals. Kazakis, immediately below He on the list, faced Denis Grabe (in the 20s on the list), as Szolnoki, immediately below Kazakis, met up with Zielinski, immediately behind him.
Sanchez-Ruiz downed Delgado 11-5 and in the semifinals, picked up Zielenski, who’d eliminated Szolnoki 11-8. He defeated Pehlivanovic 11-2 and drew Kazakis, who’d eliminated Grabe 11-7.
Assuring their spots on the rankings list, Sanchez-Ruiz and He advanced to the finals; Sanchez-Ruiz 11-5 over Zielinski and He 11-2 over Kazakis.
It was clear from the outset of the finals that Sanchez-Ruiz and He were playing for more than bragging rights at their local pub. He broke the initial rack and ran the table to open the scoring. Sanchez-Ruiz broke and won the second to create the first of only two ties in the race to 13.
Sanchez-Ruiz won the next four to go ahead 5-1, at which point the two of them embarked on a series of runs that narrowed that lead down to between two and three racks. He got within a single rack three times in that stretch, at 6-5, 7-6 and 8-7, but He’s win of rack #15 opened the door for Sanchez-Ruiz to head on out on a four-match run that put him on the hill, ahead by five at 12-7.
He, though, came right back and matched Sanchez-Ruiz’ longest run of the game at the start, winning five racks to force a single deciding game. He broke, but left himself with a low-percentage shot at the 1-ball, sitting north of and at a sharp angle to a side pocket. He played safe and began a two-ball safety battle that took up nearly half of the final match-time. Sanchez-Ruiz broke it up after He had given him an opening on the 2-ball that also opened the table. Sanchez-Ruiz ran them from there and claimed the event title.
The battle for the two remaining European Mosconi Cup slots (not counting the coach’s two wild-card picks), moves on to Lasko, Slovenia.
Ko Ping Chung and Ko Pin Yi (Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)
Chinese Taipei and Singapore are into the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup of Pool at the Brentwood Centre, Essex live on Sky Sports Arena in the UK, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. Matchroom.Live in territories without a broadcaster.
Niels Feijen and Marc Bijsterbosch were fresh off the back of defeating defending champions Germany and it was the Dutchmen who won the lag against Chinese Taipei before taking the first rack despite Ko Pin Yi’s best efforts with the jump cue. In the second rack, Bijsterbosch laid a snooker that Pin Yi couldn’t get out of to foul opening it up for a quick second rack for the Netherlands.
Pin Yi accompanied by brother Pin Chung on the Chinese Taipei side got back into things just before the commercials at 2-1, thanks to Bijsterbosch scratching when playing a kick on the one. The pair struggled in their win over Greece yesterday morning, but they looked more themselves as they turned the contest around to lead 4-2 thanks to some exquisite cueing.
The Dutch were sat in their seats for a while, but they changed after Ping Chung scratched when making the four ball by going in off the six in the middle pocket. The chance that was presented was converted and they were one back. Ball in hand came to the forefront of the next rack for the Netherlands as Feijen missed a thin cut to give Chinese Taipei control of the table once again to run out and be 5-3 up and over halfway.
Bijsterbosch played a lovely kick and combo on the 3-7 to give the Netherlands a fighting chance in the following rack. Feijen proceeded to play a safety and Pin Yi exposed the three for the Netherlands to come back again at 5-4 and 5-5 thanks to a break and run.
Chinese Taipei were looking to reach their eighth semi-final in the competition’s history, and they were moving one step closer to being within a shout of winning the title again after Bijsterbosch missed the six up the table in the 11th rack to hand Pin Yi and Ping Chung their moment to string three racks together and be on the hill. It was relatively plain sailing for Chinese Taipei, and it seemed they were going to run away with it.
At 8-5 up, Ping Chung missed the 3-8 combo to bring Feijen back to the table who delivered where his opponent couldn’t to keep the Netherland’s hopes alive as they trailed by two. That mistake was costly as Bijsterbosch and Feijen ran the next rack to be one behind. A further Dutch break and run brought the match to a hill hill conclusion.
Bijsterbosch broke in the decider but left Feijen with a tricky effort to stay at the table. A brief safety exchange later and Ping Chung had a shot on the one only for it to collide with the seven up table and leave the table just a complicated. After putting away the one, another safety battle ensued on the two with Feijen tucking the cue ball neatly behind the five away from the two. Ping Chung got a good hit on the two but too cleanly allowing Bijsterbosch back to slow roll the two in but again leaving Feijen short of a clear shot on the three ball this time.
Pin Yi played a beautiful safety to keep the cue ball locked up but this time behind the eight. Bijsterbosch fouled and in the process potted the six to open the table even further. Ping Chung and Pin Yi’s hopes of another title for Chinese Taipei were kept alive as they wrapped up a 9-8 victory.
Singapore won the lag before a quick break and run helped them to an early lead. Lian Han had a wild go at the three ball to offer Finland their first chance at the table in the second rack but they couldn’t make it pay after Immonen fouled with the ball off the table when locked up behind the seven. From there, it was a relatively routine run out to put the Southern Hemisphere side two up. Rack three was more of the same as far as Singapore were concerned and they were three up at the commercials.
To his frustration, Yapp missed the cut on the three in the fourth rack and Finland had their chance only for Singapore to end up back at the table. Lian Han missed the nine and Immonen had the chance to pot Finland’s first ball of the match only to miss it. Yapp tried to slow roll it in but missed it as Uski closed it out for 3-1. Lian Han’s nerves were tested in the next rack too as he missed the two to allow Finland back in to snatch another at 3-2.
The contest seemed to be turning at that point but Yapp and Lian Han stole the next rack to asset a two-rack buffer once again. Into the seventh and Lian Han broke dry to allow Finland back to the table where Immonen and Uski reduced the scoreline to one once again at 4-3. Singapore were trying their best to pull away and they asserted a three rack gap again after the ninth rack for 6-3.
Lian Han was struggling out in the arena and a scratch on the break brought Immonen and Uski back in again at 6-4. It was a nervy affair throughout with so much on the line and Singapore couldn’t quite contain them as they lost the 11th rack. With the safety laid, Immonen went airborne and delivered a majestic jump shot on the one only to leave Uski hooked. Uski fouled to give Singapore ball in hand, but they failed to make it count as Lian Han twitched on the five.
Finland went level again at 6-6 but that was their last real moment of the match as Singapore came good eventually to seal a 9-6 victory and reach the semi-finals. Singapore taking their moment in the 13th after Immonen’s break left the Fins hooked. Lian Han’s earlier nerves were arrested, and Singapore closed it out.
Marc Bijsterbosch and Niels Feijen (Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)
Chinese Taipei, Singapore and the Netherlands have all reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup of Pool at the Brentwood Centre, Essex live on Sky Sports Arena in the UK, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. Matchroom.Live in territories without a broadcaster.
Chinese Taipei’s Ko brothers, Pin Yi and Ping Chung became the third side in the quarterfinals after they put in a ballsy display to defeat a determined Greek side led by Alexander Kazakis and Nikos Ekonomopoulos in a hill-hill finish.
The early running came from Chinese Taipei who took the opening three racks. Pin Yi and Ping Chung had lost the lag but were soon at the table with the rack concluding with a battle on the nine. Greece missed it but left it safe, Pin Yi then played an expert safety to take the cue ball down the table, Kazakis then missed the bank and Ping Chung finished it for Chinese Taipei to lead 1-0. Two quick racks later, Greece were down and cold at the break despite the sweltering conditions in England.
Kazakis and Ekonomopoulos wanted their say on matters though and they took their first rack off Pin Yi and Ping Chung in the fourth. The break wasn’t great from Chinese Taipei and with Greece back at the table, Kazakis fluked the two whilst trying to play a cross-bank. A run out later and Greece were back in. Ekonomopoulos was showing his Mosconi Cup form of old laying a hook that Pin Yi couldn’t get out of, fouling for Greece to have ball in hand to be one back. It was Ekonomopoulos at the heart of the sixth rack as Greece levelled after another expert safety caused the table to open from Pin Yi’s efforts.
Pin Yi was seemingly struggling, and he scratched when jumping for the four ball to give Greece the table and inevitably the seventh rack to lead for the first time. In the ninth rack, Greece were 5-3 up when Ekonomopoulos left the three in the jaws, it was an opportunity that Chinese Taipei desperately needed to come back in at 5-4. Ping Chung’s break in the tenth rack was pinpoint and it provided what was seemingly an easy table. A miss on the six brought Greece back to the table but Kazakis couldn’t do enough with the cue ball allowing Chinese Taipei back in to go level at 5-5.
Ping Chung was cueing well and a nice safety on the three put Greece back in troubled waters only for them to steer out of it well thanks to Ekonomopoulos before running out to be on the hill first. The Greeks were three balls away from the quarterfinals but with the six glued to the eight, Ekonomopoulos missed the six and from there a decider was in the offering.
In the deciding rack, Kazakis had to jump to make the two, he made the two, but the cue ball proceeded to keep pace and roll down into the bottom right pocket. A sickening blow for Greece in a gutsy showing, Ping Chung, and Pin Yi from there completed a dramatic comeback and victory, 7-6 to reach the quarterfinals.
The opening four racks between Kuwait (Omar Al-Shaheen and Bader Al Awadhi) and Singapore (Aloysius Yapp and Toh Lian Han) were shared after the latter had taken an initial two rack lead. Kuwait came back thanks to errors from Yapp and Lian Han. Lian Han missed the six in the fourth rack when presented with a golden opportunity to make it 3-1 after Al-Shaheen had scratched earlier on in the rack.
Singapore was scrapping at times to keep any hold on the game as Kuwait came through strong to come from behind at 5-4. Al Awadhi missed the five ball with the chance to put Kuwait on the hill and Singapore came back into it to win the resulting two racks to get to the hill first.
Yapp scratched on the break with Singapore on the hill and it looked all but certain that Kuwait would force the second hill hill of the day only for Al-Shaheen to miss the vital nine ball. It was still a testing effort for Lian Han who was jacked up. The nine rattled both sides of the pocket but stayed out but the ball was still safe, and Kuwait were still alive but forced to play a dangerous safety. With Al Awadhi under time pressure, he was forced to play a shot that left the nine in the centre of the table and the cue ball at the top.
It was Yapp who missed the corresponding nine for Al-Shaheen to force a decider at the second time of asking. Into the final rack, Al Awadhi scratched whilst trying to make the three-ball and from there Singapore got back to the table to complete the win.
Defending champions Germany (Joshua Filler and Thorsten Hohmann) met the Netherlands’ Niels Feijen and Marc Bijsterbosch in the final action of the afternoon in a battle that has been seen in so many sports over the years. After winning the lag, the Netherlands looked to have built ahead of steam if it wasn’t for Bijsterbosch missing the nine and scratching to hand their counterparts an early rack.
Feijen and Bijsterbosch were soon level though after an uncharacteristic loss of the cue ball with three left on the table from Filler helped the Dutch along their way. The next rack saw Feijen break before Bijsterbosch missed the two, it was a quick rack for Germany then to lead 2-1. Germany had a long wait for their contest after last playing on Tuesday and it seemed they were caught cold by the Netherlands’ fight back as they whistled their way into a 5-3 lead.
The break from Feijen is renowned and it was coming in clutch every time to provide a springboard for the Dutch resolve but that was broken in the ninth rack. Germany got back to the table and Hohmann meant business as he executed a pinpoint jump shot on the one to aid the German return at 5-4.
Feijen is a two-time runner-up at the World Cup and he will be hoping to rewrite the stories of old in this competition with Bijsterbosch this week as the pair wrapped up an impressive 7-4 win.
Marc Bijsterbosch and Niels Feijen (Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)
Poland, Greece, and the Netherlands are safely into the Last 16 of the 2022 World Cup of Pool at the Brentwood Centre, Essex live on Sky Sports Arena in the UK, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. Matchroom.Live in territories without a broadcaster.
Poland met Hong Kong, China in one of the most entertaining matches of the tournament so far. The Poles led by Mieszko Fortunski and Wojciech Szewczyk led early doors 1-0 but the pairing of Lo Ho Sum and Robbie Capito was always going to provide a stern test and that it did as they hit back with the next three racks to lead 3-1. Mistakes were few and far between but it was one in the fifth rack that got Poland back in. Capito lost position off the break leaving Lo with a bank on the two which he made but by then they were already scrambling. With the three ball missed by Capito, it was Szewczyk who sealed the fifth to be one back. A classy break and run in the sixth from Poland made it three-all.
You could feel the tension as both teams went hammer and tong for victory, Poland took the seventh but Szewczyk’s break left Fortunski hooked on the one much to Hong Kong, China’s fortune who levelled this time for 4-4.
Szewczyk and Fortunski come into the tournament much favoured, and they seized their moment in the next rack. Lo looked to be playing Capito in to move in front, but he over-egged his cue ball control on the six to scratch and allow Poland back in to lead once again. It was a costly error from Lo as Poland lapped up their opponent’s misfortune to close out a 7-4 victory and set up a tie with the USA tomorrow evening.
“It would mean the world to do well. Playing in teams is amazing. When you can feel this emotion together. When you win individually you get so many fans that cheer you on but when you play with a partner, you get to feel that together. It was an unexpected opportunity they were playing well up until that point. He really thought he was going the safe way. I told Mieszko, let’s take it, don’t let these guys back in,” said Szewczyk
Next up, Greece’s Alexander Kazakis and Nikos Ekonomopoulos took on Cyprus’ Anthony Brabin and Christos Meligaliotis. Cyprus, making their debut. Little separated them early on as the pair went toe-to-toe at two-all. Ekonomopoulos joined up with Kazakis for the first time in a few years and he snatched it with both hands to deliver key shots in huge moments to swing the tie in their favour after Cyprus had led 3-2.
After eight racks, Greece took back control at 5-3. There were no more real testing moments for Greece who showed their steel to take up a 7-4 win and meet Chinese Taipei next.
“We’re happy with our win. We played great. Nikos played some unbelievable shots which gave me some confidence. We played good. We’re both really happy. We have to find each other’s game, weaknesses, and advantages. With the shot clock, we needed to know in time what we were doing. Over the last two weeks, we’ve played together a lot to be ready for that. Team games are my favourites, you are not playing for yourself. You’re playing for your partner and your whole country.” – Kazakis.
The Netherlands met debutants Morocco in their opening match of the contest with Niels Feijen and Marc Bijsterbosch looking to banish memories of two final defeats for their country in 2013 and 2014. Morocco meanwhile led by My Cherif Zine El Abidine and Imad lagnaoui. Feijen and Bijsterbosch’s vast experience on the international stage was always bound to shine through at some point but the quick nature they rallied up a 4-0 lead came as some surprise. Both Feijen and Bijsterbosch barely put a ball out of place to leave their counterparts with plenty to be done. An opportunity came knocking in the fifth though after Bijsterbosch scratched off the break. Morocco soon swept in to take their first rack in World Cup of Pool history.
In truth, the damage was done early on for Morocco who struggled to adapt to the TV environment. Iagnaoui did what Bijsterbosch had done just five minutes previous to hand the Netherlands their spot back at the table to go 5-1 up. Feijen’s break is a fine art and it continued to prove clutch as Morocco faltered. The Dutchmen wrapped up a 7-1 win to face defending champions Germany on Friday morning.
“It’s just one match at a time for us. I think we can do a lot of damage this year.” – Niels Feijen after win over Morocco
Shane Van Boening, Joshua Filler, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, and David Alcaide will contest the semi-finals of the inaugural UK Open Pool Championship at the Copper Box Arena, London live on Sky Sports in the UK, Matchroom Pool Facebook in the USA, Canada, Spain, and Italy, Viaplay in Scandinavia, and the Baltics, as well as Matchroom.Live in selected territories tomorrow, Sunday, 22 May.
Van Boening has found everything in his stride so far this week and that continued in the afternoon session as he overcame Marc Bijsterbosch in an 11-1 demolition job that saw the South Dakota kid go 8-0 up with two golden breaks along the way for good measure. The second time Van Boening has mastered that feat in two events. The newly crowned World Champion set up a meeting with Mosconi Cup teammate Skyler Woodward in the quarterfinals, something he knew wouldn’t come easy in his tightest match to date. The pair could not be separated at two all after Woodward made one of the shots of the tournament kicking the six into the nine to level matters.
It did seem that Van Boening was going to pull away in the eighth rack as he went 6-2 up where a freakish act saw the seven ball bounce four inches out of the pocket but soon nestle inside it to extend his lead. Van Boening was soon three away from victory after a sloppy error on the six ball from Woodward allowed his compatriot to capitalise and take full control. The 14th rack did edge in Woodward’s favour though and he trailed by four at 9-5.
Van Boening’s shot selection was exceptional as ever and a neat shot on the five meant the cue ball kissed the seven and nine to open it up for the five-time US Open champion to reach the hill.
In the end, a break and run was the one-way ticket to the semi-finals Van Boening needed to beat his close friend and teammate, Woodward.
Sanchez Ruiz will do battle with Van Boening in the semi-finals after overcoming Dennis Orcollo and Daniel Maciol in the Last 16 and Quarterfinals respectively for 11-7 and 11-5. Not much separated the Spaniard from Maciol until the fifth rack where Sanchez Ruiz found his groove and form that has seen him work into Mosconi Cup contention. Maciol didn’t do too much wrong as Sanchez Ruiz started to run the racks up and build a 7-3 lead over the Pole. El Ferrari was running riot on Table 2 as he reached the hill after an hour and a half of play at 10-4 leaving Maciol with plenty to do to stay in the contest. It’s been a strong run for Maciol this week, but it was Sanchez Ruiz who did his Mosconi Cup chances no harm to wrap up a 11-4 win. His tenth match of the week after falling into the Losers Bracket after the opening match of the tournament.
Filler was in a rampant mood in the afternoon as he ran out an 11-3 winner over Imran Majid to eliminate the last remaining Brit in the competition. The German star wasn’t fazed throughout as Majid faltered in what proved to be the final nail in the 12th rack with a time foul to allow Filler to get to the hill before wrapping up his spot in the quarterfinals.
The 2022 World Pool Masters champion faced a tough test if he was to make his third semi-final in four Matchroom events this year, Aleksa Pecelj of Serbia has a burgeoning reputation in the game and he showed what minerals he had in his locker to defeat Karol Skowerski in a hill-hill finish to make a maiden quarter-final berth.
Filler’s experience in the big moments showed early on in their encounter as he soon rallied up a 5-0 lead with break and runs in four of the opening five racks, only missing out in the first after losing the lag. Pecelj though has proven on countless occasions this week, his hardy nature and he needed it to pounce on an unusual Filler mistake that left the two ball over the pocket in the sixth rack.
Soon, it was 5-2. At 7-3, Filler scratched on the break to give Pecelj another bite of the cherry and he took full advantage to soon make it 7-5 after clearing up in the 11th and a break and run in the 12th. Pecelj was preying on big moments to get back into it alongside some exceptional play and he snatched his moment to make it 7-6 with a gift after Filler scratched when screwing back to make the nine. For the first time, Pecelj was back level at 7-7 and had the opportunity to make the most it when breaking in the 15th but it was Filler who went back in front. It toed and froed as both had to find their nerve. Pecelj reached the hill first and looked to be in a commanding position, but Filler came back to make it a decider.
Pecelj started out with a fluke one the one but missed a simple two ball. From there, Filler showed his winning nouse to a perfect degree playing a beautiful bank on the six before an effortless stroke on the nine to book his place in the semi-finals against Alcaide.
Mario He had taken a 4-2 lead, but Alcaide came back to win the resulting two racks after an intense safety battle in the seventh. He soon restored his lead at 5-4 but the door was blown open again for Alcaide off the break as the two-time World Cup of Pool scratched to let the Spaniard in for 5-5. Alcaide was attempting to finally take control of the contest and he made light work of the 11th and 12th rack to do just that to build his biggest buffer to date in the match. It looked like Alcaide would put pay to He’s errors to lead 8-5 but a cut that hovered over the pocket put He back at the table and back in it at 8-6. Alcaide was looking for his run to the hill in the 16th rack at 9-6 but a double kiss on the two ball put He at the table to close the gap to two again.
A 4-9 combo from He in the 17th put Alcaide on tenterhooks as he closed in on an victory. An emphatic effort on the two ball left He hooked on the four ball which was enough for Alcaide to get in there and reach the hill. The drama wasn’t done there though as a missed carom from Alcaide on the 3 and 8 left He back at the table. He couldn’t do anything with it though and that was that as Alcaide set up a semi-final with Filler.
Table 1 – Sunday, 22 May – Semi-Finals – 11 am
David Alcaide vs Joshua Filler
Shane Van Boening vs Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
5:30 pm Final – Race to 13
The final two days are available on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, Matchroom Pool Facebook in the USA, Canada, Spain, and Italy as well as on Viaplay in Scandinavia and the Baltics and various other broadcasters worldwide including Matchroom.Live in relevant countries. See the full where to watch list here.
Tickets for the final day are £15 using the code UKOPEN at checkout. Secure yours here
Albin Ouschan, Ko Ping Chung, Alexander Kazakis, and home favourite Jayson Shaw all went out of the inaugural UK Open Pool Championship at the Copper Box Arena, London. Only 16 remain as the $200,000 tournament heads into single elimination live on Sky Sports Action in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Italy, Spain, Viaplay in Scandinavia, Poland, and the Baltics as well as Matchroom.Live and networks worldwide.
It was a grueling day of action in one of London’s most iconic venues as the tournament went through three stages of Losers Round action and a further two rounds of Winners to get the final 16 who will now compete over three tables in Races to 11 to make Saturday evening’s quarterfinals.
One player who won’t be there is Ouschan who has been battling to keep his impeccable record at Matchroom events going. It started in the best possible way with a win over veteran Ralf Souquet but he came up against a resurged Robbie Capito of Hong Kong, China who played one of the matches of his career to knock out the two-time World Champion 9-0. Shaw headed into the day knowing he needed to win three ties to keep hopes of making the final two days on home soil, but it wasn’t to be as young Jonas Souto Comino of Spain came good in a hill-hill finish early on live on the Matchroom Pool YouTube channel. Souto Comino’s hopes of his best performance to date in a Matchroom event ended at the hands of Mika Immonen 9-3 swiftly after.
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz was dumped onto the Losers’ Side of the tournament on the opening day and has since then battled away to make the Last 16. The Derby City Classic 9-Ball winner sidestepped past USA Mosconi Cup hopeful Nicholas De Leon 9-3 before wins over Ping Chung and Wojciech Szewczyk to make it two Spaniards in the final stage. The ever-present David Alcaide has stayed on the winners’ side with relative ease all week but had his sternest tests of the week beating both Immonen and World Pool Masters semi-finalist Mieszko Fortunski 9-7 to be right in the picture.
World Champion Shane Van Boening continues to steamroller his way through the tournament beating Daniel Maciol 9-3 to be in the hat whilst Mario He’s remarkable week continued to defeat Thorsten Hohmann 9-3 after beating Ko Ping Chung 9-1 earlier on. World Pool Masters winner Joshua Filler breezed past one of the last remaining Brits Luke Rollison 9-2 with a golden break along the way to join He and Van Boening in the draw.
Another World Pool Masters winner in Karol Skowerski rolled back the years to beat Skyler Woodward 9-1 for his Last 16 spot after defeating compatriot Wiktor Zielinski in a hill-hill finish. Woodward did join Van Boening in the single-elimination stage though after fighting off a resilient Capito in Losers’ Qualification.
There will be one Brit flying the flag this weekend though as Imran Majid battled through a hardy day on the Losers Half beating Marco Teutscher in a hill-hill finish before overcoming Jose Alberto Delgado and Thorsten Hohmann 9-5 and 9-3 respectively. Majid faces Filler for a spot in the quarterfinals.
The Last 16 draw was completed by Karl Boyes and Matchroom Multi Sport Managing Director Emily Frazer. The eight winners from the winners’ half kept their seedings and were randomly drawn against the eight players from Losers’ Qualification.
The final two days are available on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, and Switzerland as well as on Viaplay in Scandinavia and the Baltics and various other broadcasters worldwide including Matchroom.Live in relevant countries. See the full where to watch list here.
Tickets start from £15 for the day using the code UKOPEN at checkout. Secure yours here
