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Thursday-Saturday 12-14 October 2023
Joshua Filler - Germany
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Superb Filler Grabs Yet Another ET Crown
Reporter: Luke Riches on behalf of the EPBF
Photography: ©EPBF
JOSHUA FILLER IS the Dynamic Billard Lasko Open champion as he hammered Oliver Szolnoki 9-1 to claim his fourth Euro Tour win in four starts as well as seventh career ET title. The 26-year-old German star had been feeling decidedly under the weather throughout the tournament but his unrelenting pursuit of victory and sublime shot-making skills were no match for the out-of-sorts Hungarian.
Commented a delighted Filler, “The way I played today was just unbelievable I must say! I think compared to the other events I've won, I don't think my break was as good but my overall play, what with the jump shots and tactical parts, I just took advantage of them and the will to win is always there. It doesn't matter how bad I feel, I always want to win and I think this always makes me dangerous.”
Szolnoki had struggled with his break throughout the day and never quite got to grips with the table speed and against a player of Filler’s rampant talent, it was a handicap too big to overcome.
Filler got things underway as he ran out to take the opener. Szolnoki ran out of position travelling from the 5 to the 6-ball and his safety shot didn't work out as anticipated. Filler though made a positional error from 6 to 7 but saved himself with a short jump over the 9-ball and it was soon 2-0.
Filler made a couple of positional errors in the third game but his matchless shot-making abilities saw him over the line, as he moved into an ominous 3-0 lead. The Hungarian put his breaking woes behind him in the fourth but he too lost position and found himself blocked out on the 4-ball. An attempted kick failed to drop and left it on for Filler who took full advantage as he ran the table to increase his lead.
Oliver Szolnoki - Hungary
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Szolnoki got back to the table after Filler's break shot but he missed a tight cut on the 2-ball. Filler then played a great safety and Szolnoki's escape left the 2-ball in a potting position. The German made it and dished up for a 5-0 lead.
A dry and illegal break from Oliver was the last thing he needed and he was put back in by Filler. They both had visits to a messy table but it was Szolnoki who wilted first, missing the 1 ball to give Filler the opportunity to run out. He ran short on the 9-ball but a tidy bank shot into the corner pocket made it 6-0.
Again, there were more safeties after Filler's break and again, it was Szolnoki who left the chance on. Filler's 3/4 carom set him on a path to a run out and take his lead to seven. Another fruitless break from Szolnoki allowed Filler to lock him up but it was an easy escape. Filler though, came with an outstanding low jump to cut the 1-ball into the top right pocket. Not hanging about, he whizzed through the table to take himself to the hill.
An illegal break threw Oliver a life-line and he got himself on the score sheet albeit with an Everest-sized mountain ahead of him to climb. A dry break came from Szolnoki, but with nothing to his advantage, Filler elected the push-out.
He was put back in and came once again with a superbly creative shot to pocket the 1-ball. They swapped safeties on the 2-ball before the German maestro slammed a bank shot into the centre pocket. The 4-ball ran safe following a carom and Filler's safety left it in the open for Szolnoki to pot. They both missed on the 5-ball as the rack became scrappy. A miss on the 6-ball by Szolnoki was the final nail in his coffin and Filler let out a 'Yes!' as he sealed yet another Euro Tour title. 7th title
Filler added, “When I'm at the table I want to win as big as I can. I know in alternate break format I'm not supposed to win nine-nothing against a player of Oliver's calibre who it's always going to be a tough fight against. But when I was 8-0 up, I didn’t want to give him a chance because funny things can still happen. In the end though, I made a nice bank shot in the last, took the win and I'm just over the moon. Four times in a row is just unbelievable, it's a milestone, and I can't wait for the fifth one.”
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Szolnoki had beaten Hunter Lombardo, Yannick Pongers, Tomasz Kaplan, Mateusz Sniegocki Ajdin Piknjac en route to the semi-final. Filler went through Bartosz Rozwadowski, Ajdin Piknjac, Ramazan Akdag, Dennis Laszkowski and Wojciech Szewczyk to reach the last four.
In the semi-finals, Szolnoki defeated the Netherlands’ Quinten Pongers, the elder of the two sharp-shooting brothers. Quinten has had a very solid junior career but has never reached such lofty heights before in the men’s game and he will have plenty to build on following his outstanding efforts this week. Filler got the better of seasoned Euro Tour veteran Radoslaw Babica (Poland) who led in the early stages but couldn’t sustain his challenge.
Oliver Szolnoki - Hungary
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As well as the prize money, there are Tour ranking points on offer, 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.
The Women’s Euro Tour Lasko Open is underway and reconvenes on Sunday morning at 10.00 when there will be four quarter-finalists on the winners’ side and eight players doing battle in the losers’ qualification round. The final takes place at 14.30 in the afternoon.
All the matches can be viewed live by visiting www.epbf.com/tournaments/eurotour/ and clicking on the ‘LIVE’ button. This will take you through to viewing options. In addition, selected matches will be streamed on Facebook Live on the EPBF page.
Results, live scoring, and draw are available at www.epbf.com
Joshua Filler - Germany
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Joshua Filler - Germany
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Filler On Track For Fourth Et Title In A Row
Reporter: Luke Riches on behalf of the EPBF
Photography: ©EPBF
DAY TWO OF three wrapped up this evening in Slovenia at the Dynamic Billard Lasko Open as the field whittled down to the final 16 players who return on Saturday morning at 10.00am and play through to the final which takes place at 17.00. Action today started with Rounds 2 and 3 of the one-loss side before winners’ qualification, losers’ qualification and finally the last 32.
Joshua Filler has been owning the Euro Tour of late. With wins at this same venue in 2022 and then victories in Austria and then Podčetrtek, Slovenia last time out, he is on track to claim four from four starts as he eased his way in the last 16 this evening.
He defeated Turkey’s Ramazan Akdag 9-3 to seal his spot after earlier squeaking past Ajdin Piknjac (BIH) in a final rack decider. Filler admitted though that he wasn’t in the best of health as he pursues a busy schedule.
“For two weeks I’ve had a big flu which is not really stopping. Sometimes I feel like I need to throw up, it’s that bad. I’m struggling with sleep because of the jet lag. Those are things that can have a big impact on your game and they have, obviously. But that last match, I played perfect and I didn’t make any mistakes, four or five break and runs so I can still play, obviously. Sometimes the focus is not there and it’s hard to stay positive. But still, I want to win and I’ll try my best, that’s for sure.
A couple of European pool’s brightest junior stars made their respective ways in the final 16 with impressive performances. Estonia’s Karl Gnadeberg, who was talking up his chances, pre-event, delivered on those words as he bounced back from a 9-6 defeat at the hands of previous 2023 Euro Tour champion Mohammad Soufi to defeat fellow junior Felix Vogel 9-6 to reach the last 32.
He then had an even more impressive victory, beating 20th ranked Tobias Bongers (Germany) 9-3 to take his place in the last 16. Szymon Kural, like Karl, a WPA World Junior Champion, carried on undefeated with wins over Roman Hybler and then Roberto Bartol to keep his hopes alive. The young Pole now faces countryman Wiktor Zielinski tomorrow.
Wiktor Zielinski - Poland
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Zielinski, who defeated another top junior in Yuma Dorner, to reach the 16, had a fight on his hands as he needed to overcome a big deficit to defeat Lithuania’s Jokubas Silantjevas in the winner’s qualification round. His last 32 win over Dorner was more comfortable as he seeks his third Euro Tour crown. The Pole last won at this venue in early 2022 and now faces Kural tomorrow.
“The first match wasn’t that easy. I was 5-1 down and struggled a bit but then I started playing well and in the last 32 I just made one bad break and missed one shot. I was happy with that win and looking forward to tomorrow. It’s going to be a tough match as Szymon is in good shape – he was third in the Qatar Open so it’s not going to be an easy one but I’ll try and prove I’m the leader!”
The aforementioned Karl Gnadeberg will be facing Spanish veteran Francisco Diaz-Pizarro in the last 16 as the former European 9-Ball Champion continued his excellent 2023, defeating current Euro Tour No.1 Mieszko Fortunski by 9-7 in his last 32 match. In his infrequent appearances this year, Diaz reached the semi-finals in Tampere as well as picking up a 9-ball silver medal at the European Championships.
He said, “I was excited at the end there as I had no break and he broke almost perfect, making two or three balls every time. So, it was really tough to beat him like this. My break is horrible so if I can break good then anything can happen. I have to fight always with a safety shot but this is my pool life – I have no break!”
As well as the prize money, there are Tour ranking points on offer, 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.
The Women’s Euro Tour Lasko Open runs on a different schedule to the men’s event this week as it breaks off tomorrow (Saturday) and concludes with the final on the Sunday.
All the matches can be viewed live by visiting www.epbf.com/tournaments/eurotour/ and clicking on the ‘LIVE’ button. This will take you through to viewing options. In addition, selected matches will be streamed on Facebook Live on the EPBF page.
Results, live scoring, and draw are available at www.epbf.com
Francisco Diaz-Pizarro - Spain
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Mieszko Fortunski - Poland
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Dynamic Billard Euro Tour Men - Day One Completed in Slovenia
Reporter: Luke Riches on behalf of the EPBF
Photography: ©EPBF
THURSDAY SAW THE opening day’s play complete at the Dynamic Billard Lasko Open as 118 players set out on the quest for the fifth Euro Tour championship of the year. Taking place in the central Slovenian spa town, there were a total of three rounds today – two on the winners’ side and one on the losers’ side of the bracket.
Of the big guns in attendance, Euro Tour No.1 Mieszko Fortunski took a bye in the first round and then defeated dangerous German junior Felix Vogel 9-3. He now faces Ramazan Akdag (Turkey) tomorrow for a place in the last 32.
Joshua Filler, looking for his sixth Euro Tour title and fourth in four starts, got off to a winning start, defeating Bartosz Rozwadoski (Poland) by 9-3 and will face the useful Bosnian Ajdin Piknjac for a spot in the last 32.
Filler’s wife, Pia, along with three other female players – Nina Torvund, Lena Primus and Yvonne Ullman-Hybler – has taken advantage of the scheduling to enter both men’s and women’s Euro Tour event’s this week. Pia enjoyed one win and one loss and will fight on tomorrow.
Joshua Filler - Germany
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Karl Gnadeberg, the 17-year-old World and European Junior 9 Ball Champion, enjoyed two wins from two starts today and can look forward to a winners’ qualification match against 2023 Dynamic Billard Estonian Open Champion Mohammad Soufi tomorrow.
Karl had been part of the Estonian pair, alongside Revo Maimre, who suffered a 7-6 defeat in their Longoni 9-Ball League semi-final on Wednesday evening.
Commented Gnadeberg, “The Longoni match was instead of my practice session so that was how I got used to the tables. Also, at hill-hill of course I got some nerves and getting used to the nerves from the yesterday's match helped me also today.
“I feel like almost every part of my game was above average, maybe onwards I’ll take some extra time for every shot and things could go well this week. I feel like my game is close to winning the tournament but not there yet. At least that's how it was today, but I know I'm capable of playing excellent and if I play that way then I have a good shot to get further than the semi-finals,” he added.
Another decorated junior in action this week is the Netherlands’ Yannick Pongers. The 18-year-old from Veldhoven had picked up three gold medals as well as two silvers in European Youth Championships over the last two years and he got his Lasko campaign underway with two solid wins, as well as being part of the two-man Dutch team that defeated Estonia in the Longoni 9-Ball League the night before.
Commented Pongers, “I feel confident around the table. I’ve been practicing a lot on Dynamic tables so I know what I’m dealing with. Last night was a good practice for the Euro Tour as well. I got quite comfortable quickly. In the Netherlands there are only men’s tournaments so it feels more normal than playing against the youth.”
Pongers can look forward to a winners’ qualification match-up against highly-rated Hungarian Oliver Szolnoki.
“I’ve played against Szolnoki before in a previous Euro Tour. I won it so I feel positive about the coming match.”
For Poland’s Wojciech Szewczyk, his pedigree has never been in dispute. A former WPA World 10-Ball Champion as well as reigning European 9-Ball king, Szewczyk is in the running for his first-ever Euro Tour title. A win today saw him into the winner’s qualification round tomorrow where he will play young Dutchman Jan Rempe.
“I started my campaign with a 9-4 win. However, it was a tight match until 5-4 and then I managed to run away quickly and close it nicely. It seemed like I needed some time to find my game. Even though I made some mistakes I am thinking positively about my next matches.
“A little bit of rest should make me more prepared. There was a lot of traveling lately so I wasn't surprised that playing did not come with ease. Regarding winning the whole thing... I wonder what would it feel like winning a tournament after around like 60 tries? Very curious to find out, I'll give it my best shot!” said Szewczyk.
As well as the prize money, there are Tour ranking points on offer, 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.
The Women’s Euro Tour Lasko Open runs on a different schedule to the men’s event this week as it breaks off on Saturday 14th and concludes with the final on the 15th.
All the matches can be viewed live by visiting www.epbf.com/tournaments/eurotour/ and clicking on the ‘LIVE’ button. This will take you through to viewing options. In addition, selected matches will be streamed on Facebook Live on the EPBF page.
Results, live scoring, and draw are available at www.epbf.com
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