Mandalay Bay
3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas
Nevada
NV 89119
USA
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Sunday-Friday 21-26 April 2019
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Filler Is Partypoker US Open 9-Ball Champion
Report by Nick Teale
Media Director - Matchroom Sport
All photography courtesy of ©JP Parmentier/Vincent Rochefort
Joshua Filler is the new partypoker US Open 9-Ball Champion after beating Wu Jiaqing 13-10 in the final at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center in Las Vegas.
His performances throughout the tournament were worthy of one of billiard’s oldest and most prestigious titles, as the German knocked out defending champion Jayson Shaw as well as world-class players including Alex Kazakis, Albin Ouschan and finally Wu, whose foul in what became the final rack was his last action of a breath-taking tournament.
Over three days the 256-player field became 16 before the tournament transferred to the Diamond Arena and single elimination action. This was the first time the event had been promoted by Matchroom Multi Sport, and any pre-tournament doubts were dispelled by a week that had it all.
In front of a sold-out crowd of 700 pool fans, and many more watching live on TV in over 100 countries around the world, Filler displayed some of his very best offensive pool, the sort of play which saw him become the youngest ever Mosconi Cup player, winner, and MVP, a World Champion and World No.1 at 21, and now US Open Champion.
In the final, Wu won the lag and drew first blood before he ran the next two for a 3-0 lead. Filler then put a five-pack together but scratched in rack nine. Wu pulled one back however, a dry break saw the World No.1 return to the table to make it 6-4.
The next two racks were shared before Filler opened up a three-point lead which soon became five. A poor safety at 10-5 enabled Wu to narrow the deficit to four and eventually two, but at 10-8 Filler benefitted from an incredible fluke, crashing the 2 into the top corner pocket off the cue ball. He ran the rest of the rack and the following to reach the hill at 12-8.
Breaking for the match, Filler was dry and Wu had a roadmap back. He drove it and then made a 3/9 in the 22nd game, but at 12-10 committed a touch foul bridging over the 4 to the 1, giving ball in hand to Filler.
The German made no such mistakes and cleared for the title, $50,000, the Barry Behrman Trophy and his first green US Open winner’s jacket.
“It feels amazing,” said Filler. “I am overwhelmed with the situation right now. It is unbelievable for me, of course. There is only one reason why I am here now and so successful – it is my wife, and I love her so much.
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“I want to thank all the spectators for this situation right now, I cannot describe in words how much it means to me right now. I know I played better earlier in the tournament but the final is a special situation. You put more pressure on yourself so maybe you make more mistakes but I was happy with my performance, of course. When he fouled, I knew it might be my last chance and I took it.
“I want to say thank you to everybody, and to Matchroom. They put on such a big event, it has been perfect for our sport and I want to say thank you.”
Wu takes home $25,000 as runner-up, while the 90 partypoker Mosconi Cup qualifying points collected by Filler puts him in a commanding position to return to Team Europe when the Cup takes place at Mandalay Bay later in November.
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Filler To Meet Wu For Partypoker US Open Title
Report by Nick Teale
Media Director - Matchroom Sport
All photography courtesy of ©JP Parmentier/Vincent Rochefort
Joshua Filler will face Wu Jiaqing in the final of the partypoker US Open 9-Ball Championship at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, Las Vegas, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.
Filler came from behind against Jeff De Luna to book his place in the $50,000 final with an 11-8 victory, before Wu defeat Chang Yu-Lung 11-5 to join the German in the showpiece match of the tournament.
In the first semi-final, Filler took the opening rack but a dry break offered De Luna a chance and the Filipino look the next three for a 3-1 lead. Filler responded but again broke dry and from there ‘The Bull’ opened up a 5-2 advantage.
The World No.1, however, remained in touch and found the form he had shown throughout the tournament in the second half of the match. He didn’t lead again until he went ahead 8-7 and though De Luna replied at that stage, it would be the last rack he won as Filler moved to the hill and then to the final.
On completing the winning set, the German let out a victory cry and was then met in his corner by European partypoker Mosconi Cup captain Marcus Chamat. As World Champion and a US Open finalist, it now seems inevitable that Killer Filler will be back at Mandalay Bay in November.
“It is unbelievable. The start of the match was good for him, but I kept fighting and it came off, it feels amazing. I don’t seem nervous? But inside I can’t tell you how nervous I am. It is the most prestigious tournament in the world, and I can’t tell you how happy I am to be in the final.”
“My break wasn’t as good as in the other matches so I will prepare before the final, but I am looking forward to it. When I lost in double elimination, I found the break as my weakness, so I worked on that and started playing better. “
Filler now faces Wu in the race-to-13 final. The World Cup of Pool winner fell 3-1 down to Chang in his semi-final, but a mistake by the Taiwanese star gave Wu the table and he won five consecutive racks for an 8-3 lead.
Chang looked to have found a way back into the match but having pulled the score back to 5-8 saw the cue ball hit the 6 and enter the middle pocket after he’d made the pink 4. From there, Wu regained control and quickly took the three racks required to win the match.
The final begins at 2.30pm local time in Las Vegas and will be broadcast in over 100 countries around the world. The winner will take home $50,000, the famous US Open green jacket and the newly-commissioned Barry Behrman trophy.
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Filler Flies Into Semi-final Clash With De Luna At Partypoker US Open 9-ball Championship
Report by Nick Teale
Media Director - Matchroom Sport
All photography courtesy of ©JP Parmentier/Vincent Rochefort
Joshua Filler put in another scintillating performance to progress to the semi-finals of the partypoker US Open 9-Ball Championship, where he will meet Jeff De Luna at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.
Filler continued his impressive run in the tournament, adding Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz to of list of victims which includes Jayson Shaw, Albin Ouschan and Alex Kazakis with an 11-4 victory, while De Luna was equally impressive in overcoming Alex Pagulayan 11-5.
Both Filler and De Luna took early leads and never looked back in their matches, leaving Sanchez Ruiz and Pagulayan respectively frustrated. The latter did get an opportunity to fight back from 10-3 up when De Luna missed a straight 3 to the middle pocket but at 10-5 his fightback stumbled and ‘The Bull’ closed out the rack for a victory which ensures there will be a new name on the Barry Behrman trophy this year after 2005 winner Pagulayan was the last of the former champions to fall.
“I really felt the pressure in the first rack,” said De Luna. “Alex is a great player, a World champion, but I played my game and I am very comfortable now at the table. Last night I played terribly but I practiced today and felt comfortable on the table.
“If I win this tournament, it’s my first world competition. Joshua Filler is a good shooter, a young, aggressive player so we will see tomorrow what happens. I have a plan to beat him.”
After his win, Filler said: “I am always happy to be here, this arena is unbelievable. I am enjoying it and that is the key for the A-game. In this kind of format the opponent doesn’t matter really because it is winner breaks; if you play your own game you can punish him when he makes mistakes. I am World Champion and World No.1 at the moment, but the US Open is missing for me – I am fighting for it.”
Play continues with the final two quarter-finals on Thursday evening. All matches at the partypoker US Open 9-Ball Championship are race to 11, winner breaks, except the final which is race to 13. Live scores are available now at www.matchroompool.com.
Players are playing for their share of a $300,000 tournament purse. The winner will take home $50,000, the famous US Open green jacket and the newly-commissioned Barry Behrman trophy.
Tickets for the 43rd partypoker US Open 9-Ball Championship are still available at www.matchroompool.com from as little as $10 with VIP packages also available for the final three days of the tournament.
QUARTER-FINAL FIXTURES
April 25, Afternoon Session (1.30pm)
Joshua Filler (GER) 11-4 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP)
Jeffrey De Luna (PHI) 11-5 Alex Pagulayan (CAN)
April 25, Evening Session (6pm)
Liu Haitao vs. Chang Yu-Lung
Wang Can vs. Wu Jiaqing
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Epic Chang Comeback Earns Semi-final Clash With Perfect Wu
Report by Nick Teale
Media Director - Matchroom Sport
All photography courtesy of ©JP Parmentier/Vincent Rochefort
Chang Yu-Lung mounted an epic comeback against Liu Haitao to set-up a partypoker US Open 9-Ball Championship semi-final against Wu Jiaqing at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, Las Vegas.
Wu cruised through his quarter-final against Wang Can, who didn’t make a single ball as his compatriot won 11-0. It was a different story for Chang, however, who had to fight back from 9-3 down to knock Liu out of the tournament.
From 2-2, Liu moved quickly into a 9-3 lead but a scratch in the 13th rack of the match showed Chang a path to the comeback trail. The Taiwanese player grew in confidence as he closed the gap, although Liu reaffirmed his grip on the match when he moved to the hill at 10-7 with a brilliant 3/9 carom.
Chang returned to the table one rack later to reduce the gap to two once more, and then benefitted from two turns of good fortune. First, playing a left-handed attempted at a 6/9 combo, Chang missed the rack-winning shot but landed safe. Returning to the table he missed the 6 to the same bottom right pocket and again fell safe.
His luck appeared to have runout, however, when he overcut his third shot on the 6 to leave a straight shot to the middle for Liu. However, that wasn’t the final twist of the rack and two shots later Chang was back at the table, this time making a thin cut on the 8 before pulling the score to 10-9.
Chang then broke dry but then in playing position to the top rail for the 4, Liu left the ball lodged deep in the jaws of the corner pocket. His only choice was to try and jump the point of the pocket, but in doing so he clipped the cushion allowing Chang to clear to the hill, despite leaving himself the thinnest of cuts on the 7 to the middle. Chang then ran the final and decisive rack to advance to finals day.
In the last of the quarter-finals, Wu cruised past Wang, who failed to make a ball in the match. He should have done, though, at 10-0 down. Wu’s break was dry and a straight 1/6 combo was left, with the 1 sat in the jaws of the bottom right pocket. But, having barely had a chance all match, Wang fluffed his opportunity and Wu completed the whitewash.
Play continues with both semi-finals on Friday morning before the race-to-13 final in the afternoon. Players are playing for their share of a $300,000 tournament purse. The winner will take home $50,000, the famous US Open green jacket and the newly-commissioned Barry Behrman trophy.
Tickets for the 43rd partypoker US Open 9-Ball Championship are still available at www.matchroompool.com from as little as $10 with VIP packages also available for the final three days of the tournament.
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2019 US OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | ||||
LAS VEGAS - NEVADA - USA | ||||
THE LAST 16 | ||||
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2019 US OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | ||||
LAS VEGAS - NEVADA - USA | ||||
THE QUARTER-FINALS | ||||
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2019 US OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | ||||
LAS VEGAS - NEVADA - USA | ||||
THE SEMI-FINALS | ||||
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2019 US OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | ||||
LAS VEGAS - NEVADA - USA | ||||
THE FINAL | ||||
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2019 US OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | ||||
NEVADA - USA | ||||
THE PRIZE FUND | ||||
1st | US $ 50,000 | |||
2nd | US $ 25,000 | |||
3rd | US $ 12,000 | |||
4th | US $ 12,000 | |||
5th - 8th | US $ 6,250 | |||
9th - 16th | US $ 3,500 | |||
17th - 24th | US $ 2,750 | |||
25th - 32nd | US $ 2,250 | |||
33rd - 48th | US $ 1,750 | |||
49th - 64th | US $ 1,500 | |||
65th - 96th | US $ 1,000 | |||
97th - 128th | US $ 750 | |||
2019 US OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS | ||||
NEVADA - USA | ||||
THE WINNER'S LIST | ||||
 | Mike Sigel | | USA | |
| Allen Hopkins | | USA | |
| Steve Mizerak | | USA | |
| Louie Roberts | | USA | |
| Mike Sigel | | USA | |
| Allen Hopkins | | USA | |
| David Howard | | USA | |
| Mike Sigel | | USA | |
| Earl Strickland | | USA | |
| Jimmy Reid | | USA | |
| David Howard | | USA | |
| Earl Strickland | | USA | |
| Mike Lebron |  | PUR | |
| Nick Varner | | USA | |
| Nick Varner | | USA | |
| Buddy Hall | | USA | |
| Tommy Kennedy | | USA | |
| Earl Strickland | | USA | |
| Efren Reyes | | PHI | |
| Reed Pierce | | USA | |
| Rodney Morris | | USA | |
| Earl Strickland | | USA | |
| Buddy Hall | | USA | |
| Johnny Archer | | USA | |
| Earl Strickland | | USA | |
| Corey Deuel | | USA | |
| Ralf Souquet | | GER | |
| Jeremy Jones | | USA | |
| Gabe Owen | | USA | |
| Alex Pagulayan | | PHI | |
| John Schmidt | | USA | |
| Shane Van Boening | | USA | |
| Mika Immonen |  | FIN | |
| Mika Immonen | | FIN | |
| Darren Appleton | | GBR | |
| Darren Appleton | | GBR | |
| Shane Van Boening | | USA | |
| Shane Van Boening | | USA | |
| Shane Van Boening | | USA | |
| Kevin (Cheng Yu Hsuan) | | TWN | |
| Shane Van Boening | | USA | |
| Jayson Shaw | | SCO | |
| Not held. |  | --- | |
| Joshua Filler | | GER | |
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