World Champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz suffered an unexpected exit from the BetVictor 2024 UK Open Pool Championship, at the Telford International Centre, whereas defending champion Eklent Kaçi advances into tomorrow’s Last 16 live on broadcasters worldwide, including DAZN, Viaplay, and Sky Sports in the UK.
Despite making it to the Last 32, Ruiz fell short against former World Cup of Pool champion Petri Makkonen, losing 10-6. Upsets continued as home favourite Jayson Shaw and Vietnamese star Duong Quoc Hoang both failed to progress from the Last 64 stage, each losing 10-7.
Kaçi’s title defence remained strong, staging a crucial comeback against Mario He, overturning a 1-5 deficit to ultimately secure a 10-7 victory. The defending champion went into the Last 32, where he defeated the Singaporean Toh Lian Han with a decisive 10-5. However, his younger brother, Kledio Kaçi, struggled to advance past the Last 64, falling 10-7 to Makkonen.
The only Austrian to make it to the quarterfinals, Albin Ouschan, secured a hard-fought victory over snooker champion Gary Wilson in a nail-biting 10-9 battle. Ouschan clawed back from a three-rack deficit, earning his place for tomorrow’s matchup.
The Ko brothers effortlessly advanced into the quarterfinals with slid back-to-back victories in their matches, alongside last year’s Mosconi Cup Team USA contenders, Fedor Gorst, Shane Van Boening, and this year’s captain, Skyler Woodward.
To wrap up the day, Joshua ‘The Killer’ Filler claimed his revenge against old foe Anton Raga with a commanding a 10-0 masterclass, marking a stark contrast to Raga’s victory over Filler in the 2023 European Open.
The JS Junior Open returns alongside the main action in the Telford International Centre. Juniors aged 17 and under all came to Telford hoping to make a name for themselves as an up-and-coming superstar. With host Shaw watching on and welcoming, action was fast-paced as they compete for their part of the $10,000 prize fund. All players were provided with a free jersey from partners Onboard Sportswear as well as welcome pack that included tips and chalk from KAMUI. The final of the JS Junior Open will be live-streamed live on the Matchroom Pool YouTube channel thanks to the partners mentioned above and Cuetec, Diamond Billiards, Iwan Simonis, and Aramith Balls.
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
Ko Ping Yi and Ko Ping Chang (Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)
Only 64 players remain after day three of the BetVictor 2024 UK Open Pool Championship at the Telford International Centre with Eklent Kaçi continuing his title defence into the single elimination stage live on broadcasters worldwide, including DAZN, Viaplay, and Sky Sports in the UK.
Kaçi secured his spot by defeating the Danish viking Mickey Krause with a solid 9-6 victory, joining top World Nineball Tour players like Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Shane Van Boening, Fedor Gorst, and Joshua Filler in the last 64.
Tough matches for both Mosconi Cup captains, with Skyler Woodward making a terrific comeback winning 5 racks after being down 8-4. Meanwhile, Jayson Shaw narrowly secured his place, after capitalising on Besar Spanhiu missed a 6-9 combo at 7-7, allowing Shaw to execute a carom to win the rack and take back control.
Ko Pin Yi and Ko Ping Chung delivered dominant 9-3 victories side by side on tables one and two to secure their places, while Ko Ping Han fell short against Petr Urban, losing 8-7 and exiting the tournament.
Kledio Kaçi, brother of the defending champion, maintained his winning momentum with a convincing 9-2 win over Thorsten Hohmann from Germany. Carlo Biado also advanced to the last 64, dominating the table once more with a commanding 9-0 victory over Phuong Nam Pham.
James Aranas and the Austrian Trio Albin Ouschan, Mario He, and Max Lechner fell into the loser brackets but rallied in their ‘second chance’ matches to secure spots in tomorrow’s single elimination stage.
Snooker champion Garry Wilson clinched a tense 9-8 victory over two-time World Pool Masters champion David Alcaide, advancing further in the tournament. Alcaide moved into the losers’ qualification but failed to find redemption, losing to Tobias Bongers. Amongst the casualties on the third day were Ralf Souquet, Pia Filler, Sanjin Pehlivanovic, Moritz Neuhausen, and Karl Boyes.
Last 64 Draw
The Last 64 draw was done at the completion of play with the pick of the round including a tasty encounter between defending champion Eklent Kaçi and Mario He. Other stand out ties include Jayson Shaw against Tobias Bonger and Wiktor Zielinski against Alvin Anggito.
For the full draw and 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
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
Ko Pin Yi makes history as the first defending champion in seven years to reach the quarter-final of the 2024 World Pool Masters after defeating David Alcaide in the opening round at Halle39 in Hildesheim, Germany, in partnership with local organiser Moltke Sports and host broadcaster Sky Sports.
Defending champion Ko Pin Yi faced two-time World Pool Masters champion David ‘El Matador’ Alcaide, who aimed to become the second player to win three titles in the tournament.
The opening rack saw Ko Pin Yi lose his lead after missing a 4-8 combo, swiftly executed by Alcaide. However, Alcaide made a crucial error in rack 3, failing to pot the 7 ball and subsequently losing the lead entirely. Seeking to capitalise on Pin Yi’s mistake in rack 10, Alcaide faced a dry break and missed the 3 ball in the following rack, allowing Ko Pin Yi to secure a 9-6 victory, marking the first time a defending champion has advanced through round one in seven years.
Reflecting on his performance following his victory, the defending champion said: “I’m very happy to win the first match because it was a tough contest; my opponent David Alcaide is very skilled.” Ko Pin Yi acknowledged that his adjustment in breaking allowed him to swiftly elevate his game, ultimately leading to his victory over El Matador.
Following in his brother’s footsteps, Ko Ping Chung, the 2023 US Open champion, delivered a masterclass against Polish rising star Wiktor Zielinski. The second rack saw the tournament’s second golden break, setting the tone for Ko’s dominant performance. This was swiftly followed by a remarkable jump shot on the 2 ball in rack 6, propelling Ko Ping Chung to secure his spot in tomorrow’s quarter-final with a commanding 9-2 victory.
The evening session kicked off with a thrilling rematch of last year’s first round, as WNT No.1 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz faced off against the ‘Dodong Diamond’, James Aranas. Like last year, Aranas surged ahead with a 2-0 lead, but Sanchez Ruiz quickly turned the tables, seizing control of the match. The momentum nearly shifted at rack 8 when Ruiz, despite pulling off an impressive positional shot from the 3-4 ball, miscued the 8 ball, giving Aranas a chance to edge closer to victory. However, Aranas stumbled with a dry break in rack 13, allowing ‘El Ferrari’ Ruiz to secure a 9-6 redemption victory over the Filipino cueist.
Superstar Fedor Gorst triumphed over Mario He, despite a setback when he accidentally hooked himself in rack 2. Undeterred by the early challenge, Gorst displayed clinical precision against the Austrian, executing a flawless 2-9 combo to reach the hill. He followed it up with an exceptional 3-8 combo, sealing his victory in round one. Gorst now sets his sights on the quarter-final, where he will face off against another Austrian contender, Albin Ouschan, tomorrow.
The evening concluded with an electrifying billiards showdown as Shane Van Boening went head-to-head with Duong Quoc Hoang, making his World Pool Masters debut. Luck seemed to favour Hoang in the early racks, granting him two remarkable flukes of the 2 ball and the 4 ball in rack 4, propelling the Vietnamese player to a 4-0 lead.
However, Van Boening staged a remarkable comeback after Hoang scratched on the break in rack 5, evening the score with a golden break in rack 7 and a fluked 9 ball after sinking the 2 ball in rack 9. Yet, fortune turned against the ‘South Dakota Kid’ in rack 11, as his attempt at a 6-9 combo resulted in a scratch in the same pocket, handing the lead back to Hoang.
Hoang reached the hill in rack 14, but Van Boening seized the opportunity when his opponent missed a routine 1-ball, allowing the American to force a hill-hill showdown. With nerves of steel, Van Boening maintained his composure, clinching victory in a gripping final rack and securing his place tomorrow.
The quarter-final of the World Pool Masters kick off from 12 pm CET tomorrow, with Joshua Killer Filler taking on Ko Ping Chung, ahead of defending champion Ko Pin Yi and WNT No.1 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz. The evening sees Albin Ouschan take on Fedor Gorst, ahead of Jayson Shaw and Shane Van Boening to complete the race to 10 quarterfinals.
Watch live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in the USA, Spain, Italy, and Brazil as well as on Viaplay in the Netherlands, Poland, Scandinavia and the Baltics. If no broadcaster is available in your country, watch the action on Matchroom.Live. See where to watch in your country here
The 30th Anniversary of 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.
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.
2022 World Pool Masters champion Joshua Filler claimed redemption in the opening round of the 2024 edition at Halle39 in Hildesheim, Germany in partnership with local organiser Moltke Sports and host broadcaster Sky Sports.
The stakes were high for Filler as he entered this year’s event, following his early exit from last year’s World Pool Masters and his defeat to Kaçi in the final of the 2023 UK Open.
Kaci initially seized the lead in the opening racks, capitalising on Filler’s struggles with his long shots. However, the advantage was short-lived as the two players engaged in a back-and-forth battle. The momentum shifted when the score reached 6-6 in rack 12, with Filler showcasing his skill by strategically hooking Kaci behind the 6 ball. In an attempt to regain control, Kaci scratched the 3 ball, leading to Killer Filler dominating the final rounds and securing victory. This win marked Filler’s much-needed redemption, dashing Kaci’s hopes of a comeback and propelling Filler closer to his second World Pool Masters title.
Filler said: “The only thing that stays in my mind is the way I started; I couldn’t find a pocket. But I waited for my chances and luckily in the end it turned around. I started feeling good and I could feel the table better.”
The excitement of round one continued with the battle of the Austrians. Living up to his nickname “Smooth Operator,” Albin Ouschan demonstrated impeccable composure on the grey cloth as he navigated through the racks. However, at 7-0, his opponent Max Lechner secured his first rack after executing a trap that not only caused Albin to foul but also set up Lechner for a 1-9 combo to clinch the rack. Max continued to showcase his prowess with combinations, executing a 2-8-9 combo to win rack 13. Despite his efforts, Lechner faltered at rack 14, failing to pot the 3 ball and allowing Albin to secure victory in the race to 9.
The evening session concluded with a commanding performance from the 2023 Hanoi Open champion, Jayson Shaw, who faced off against the Singaporean cueist, Aloysius Yapp. Although Yapp secured the first rack, a scratch in the second rack opened the door for Shaw to take control, winning nine consecutive racks. The precision of ‘Eagle Eye’ Shaw was evident throughout his dominant display, showcasing an exceptional jump kick shot on the 4 ball in rack 3, followed by the tournament’s first golden break in rack 6, and a flawless 3-9 combo to reach the hill. Shaw’s stellar performance reached its pinnacle in a resounding 9-1 victory, bringing the evening session to a thrilling close.
The remaining Round 1 matches get underway from 12 pm CET tomorrow as defending champion Ko Pin Yi meets David ‘El Matador’ Alcaide before Ko Pin Chung takes on Wiktor Zielinski of Poland to wrap up the afternoon action. The evening sees WNT No.1 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz once again face James Aranas in the first round, followed by Fedor Gorst taking on Mario He, ahead of Shane Van Boening and Duong Quoc Hoang wrapping up the Round 1 action.
Watch live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in the USA, Spain, Italy, and Brazil as well as on Viaplay in the Netherlands, Poland, Scandinavia and the Baltics. If no broadcaster is available in your country, watch the action on Matchroom.Live. See where to watch in your country here
The 30th Anniversary of 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.
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
Skyler Woodward managed to escape his first match of the day with a victory but wasn’t so fortunate in the next round.
Jeffrey De Luna stood at the table on the hill in the second set of his opening day match against Woodward, leading 3-0 losing the first set and a game away from forcing a sudden death shootout.
De Luna broke and failed to pocket a ball, handing Woodward all of the opportunity that he needed as the American rattled off four straight games to snatch the clinching set and secure the win on the opening day of the 192-player Alfa Las Vegas Open at the Rio All-Suites Casino Wednesday.
After Woodward won the first set, 4-2, De Luna came out on fire in the second before he forfeited the table in the fourth game then leaving a combination shot on the 10 ball after a safety. The American pocketed the shot to climb onto the scoreboard and broke and ran to pull within a game but forfeited the table when he broke dry in the sixth rack.
De Luna began to struggle as he misplayed a safe on the 3 ball and left his opponent a wide-open shot. The Filipino was bailed out when his opponent missed but he ultimately misplayed position on the 8 ball and was forced to play a safety. Woodward jumped in the object ball and tied the match then used a safety exchange on the 2 ball in the next rack to secure the second set and the victory, 4-3.
Facing Jonas Souto in the next round, the Spaniard used a dry break and a missed shot by Woodward to build a 2-0 advantage but missed a chance to increase his lead when he failed to pocket a combination shot on the 10 ball. After Woodward cleared the table to cut the lead to 2-1, he took advantage of missed shots by his opponent in back-to-back racks then added a break-and-run to finish off the comeback, 4-2. Having lost the lag, Souto had breaking privileges in the second set and capitalized, using a break-and-run, a safety exchange and a missed shot by his opponent to shut out the American and force a sudden death shootout.
Woodward missed his opening shot of the extra frame while Souto was perfect, pocketing four straight to win the set.
The American moves to the one-loss side of the bracket where he will face Lian Han Toh Thursday morning at 9 a.m. local time.
Albin Ouschan
Meanwhile, Albin Ouschan was feeling it in his opening match against Billy Thorpe, blanking the American in straight sets in his opening round match.
Using a one-rail kick in, a bank shot that sent the cue ball three rails for position on the next shot and tricky carom shot on the 1 ball, the Austrian built a commanding 3-0 lead but scratched on a kick shot at the in the fourth rack. Thorpe had a chance to capitalize but missed the 2 ball in the side, allowing the Ouschan to clear the table and pitch a 4-0 opening set shut out.
Ouschan took the first rack of the second set when Thorpe failed to make a ball on the break, then snagged another rack when his opponent missed the 9 ball in the second game. After winning a safety battle in the next rack he closed the match out with a break and run.
Ouschan will face Germany’s Ralf Souquet in the next round Thursday afternoon.
In other matches, Austria’s Mario He took advantage of a handful of unforced errors by opponent Omar Al Shaheen to win in straight set, 4-2, 4-0, Japan’s Yoshihiro Kitatani defeated Estonia’s Denis Grabe in a shootout and
Play resumes today with notable matches including Shane Van Boening versus Jun-Ling Chang and David Alcaide taking on Thorsten Hohmann on the winner’s side. Matches can be watched on Billiard.TV and on World Billiard TV, the official YouTube channel of CueSports International. A schedule of televised matches will be posted daily on the Pro Billiard Series and CSI Facebook and Instagram pages.
PLAY GOT UNDERWAY at the Dynamic Billard Estonian Open as the opening day unfolded for the 200 or so competitors at the Kalev Sports Hall in Tallinn. Almost four rounds of play were completed and absentees Joshua Filler and Wiktor Zielinski were joined by No.4 ranked player Eklent Kaci who failed to materialise for his first-round match, having failed to travel to Estonia.
That gave extra impetus to some of the big names competing, as 2022’s player of the year, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz won his opening game, beating Panagiotis Ksipoliteas (Greece) by 9-6. The Spaniard plays again tomorrow morning when he faces countryman Salvador Garcia Fernandez.
Estonian No.1 Dennis Grabe enjoyed a 9-7 win over Portugal’s Joao Grilo to safely negotiate day one, while countryman, reigning WPA World U17 champ Karl Gnadeberg, scored a fantastic win over No.10 ranked player Miesko Fortunski by 9-5. Both players had table time in the Longoni 9 Ball League on Friday evening but Gnadeberg certainly sent out a message with the win.
Another highly-decorated junior, 15 year-old Felix Vogel (Germany) made it two wins from two in Tallinn. Vogel was a gold medallist at the European Junior Championships last year and even at a tender age, is a dangerous opponent for anyone.
He beat Eero Romppanen 9-0 and then Azhdar Nasirov 9-3 to set up a Winners Round 2 match against top Hungarian Oliver Szolnoki, which will be a real test for the precocious young talent.
Mario He, the winner in Treviso last time out in November, suffered a body blow as he lost his opening match 9-6 to Adam Stankiewicz. The 21 year-old Pole is currently ranked No.76 on the Euro Tour and that was certainly one of his finer moments.
Juho Teittinen
He though, bounced back on the one loss side as he defeated 16 year-old Finnish junior Juho Teittinen 9-6 to keep his hopes alive and he can look forward to facing another Finn, Leevi Auresto at midday tomorrow.
There are plenty more matches in store on Sunday as the field plays down to the last 16. Action continues in the morning at 9.00am local time, with Losers Round 2 as well as Winners Round 2 matches.
As well as the prize money, there are Tour ranking points on offer. 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.
Zheng Xiao Huai to become the first Chinese player at a Matchroom event since 2019
The prize fund for the World Pool Masters 2023 will increase to $125,000 with the winner now see to take home $40,000 as China return on the international stage in Nineball for the first time since 2019 from May 10-13 at the Brentwood Centre, Essex in England.
Already, the top 14 on the Nineball World Rankings after the World Pool Championship have qualified underlining the importance of the ranking system first introduced by Matchroom at the start of 2021 with Joshua Filler set to be seeded as number one after beating Lo Ho Sum in last year’s final 9-6:
China’s Zheng Xiao Huai becomes the first wild card with one more to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Tickets for pool’s most historic invitational start from only £10 with fans able to soak in all four days of action for just £60. Tickets will go on priority sale to Matchroom Pool Club members on Monday, 20 February with general sale to follow Tuesday, 21 February. Sign up for priority sale here.
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz is the new champion of the world defeating Mohammad Soufi 13-10 in the World Pool Championship 2023 final in Kielce, Poland live on Sky Sports, Matchroom.Live, Viaplay, DAZN, and TV networks worldwide.
Soufi won the lag and proceeded to canter into a 2-0 lead within minutes with his explosive style of play a delight to behold for the sold-out crowd. Sanchez Ruiz had to come from behind against Mario He to reach the final and only lead for the first time at 9-8 but this time, he turned it quickly to 3-2. Soufi got back in to lead and take the following two racks but scratched on the break in the eighth when back in front. It was an error-strewn rack from there but in the end, Sanchez Ruiz came through to level again.
A break and run in the ninth put Sanchez Ruiz back in front in the Race to 13 at 5-4. The lead was soon stretched to 6-4 but a miss on the four in rack 11 brought Soufi in to cut the deficit back to one. In the 14th at 7-6, Soufi played safe after losing positon from the break, Sanchez Ruiz kicked only to leave the two in prime position for the Syrian to come in and level once again. Just when it seemed Soufi would find momentum, a scratch on the break allowed his Spanish counterpart to enter the fray and sweep in for 8-7.
There was very little to separate the pair as it went 8-8. At this stage, another Soufi mistake let Sanchez Ruiz in who started to take control of proceedings by establishing a two-rack buffer reaching double figures in the process and three away from the title. The earlier errors from Soufi were proving to be at his detriment as Sanchez Ruiz broke and run another rack to edge closer to his hands on the title.
It was proving to be a clinic from Sanchez Ruiz who had sussed the break and he reached the hill after just over two hours of action. With three balls left on the table, Sanchez Ruiz lost position on the seven and Soufi came in to nick a rack and then the next to be two away from reaching the hill also.
In the end, Sanchez Ruiz came good pouncing after Soufi’s break in the 23rd rack left the one and eight locked together. Sanchez Ruiz swept in to seal a memorable victory meaning the Spaniard now holds the US Open Pool Championship, World Cup of Pool, and World Pool Championship titles in the Nineball arena.
Sanchez Ruiz said: “It’s an amazing feeling. I have no voice. I felt the pressure. I had an unbelievable year last year but this is the first of this year and I cannot believe it. I didn’t play my best in the final but I fought for it and I got the end result. I knew I could lose a game with someone like Mohammad. He is very good and strong. I played my game though, I am so tired, I feel unbelievable, this is my biggest title for sure. I lost position at 10-8, it isn’t easy with the shot clock but finally, I got my chance again.”
The World No.1 will now head on to the Premier League Pool and World Pool Masters: “The last year when I won the big titles but when I won the Derby City Classic last year, everything changed in my mindset. I was playing good but I had never won a big title. When you win a big one, your confidence goes through the roof. There’s so much pressure in Matchroom events, you cannot compare it to any other. In the Mosconi Cup, wow, I hadn’t felt something like that. When you play Mosconi, every tournament after, wow it feels like no pressure.”
“To be honest, I have never seen Mohammad play with such character. It’s amazing. You can feel his aggressive play and the crowd love him. This tournament will change Soufi’s career,” added Sanchez Ruiz.
Soufi said: “I am happy to be number two but I am ready for more. I feel very good right now. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me.”
