Shane Van Boening’s pursuit of his first European Open title came to a bitter end as Poland’s Daniel Maciol staged a stunning comeback to eliminate the American and book his place in the Last 16 of the 2025 European Open Pool Championship.
For the first time, the prestigious championship is being hosted at Hills Hotel in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton. The tournament runs from March 11-16, bringing world-class nine-ball action to the heart of the Balkans, on Sky Sports to the UK & Ireland, and WNT TV to the USA, Vietnam, and other international regions.
Van Boening looked dominant in his Last 64 performance, cruising past Welshman Marcel Price 10-3. However, his European Open hopes crumbled in the following round as Maciol produced an extraordinary six-rack surge to snatch a 10-8 victory, marking the departure of the final American contender from the tournament.
Meanwhile, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz moved one step closer to his first European Open title, securing back-to-back 10-6 wins over Roberto Bartol and Radoslaw Babica to advance.
However, it was heartbreak for his fellow Spaniards. Jonas Souto suffered a brutal 10-0 whitewash at the hands of Naoyuki Oi, while Elliott Sanderson ended David Alcaide’s campaign with a 10-5 victory, dashing his hopes of reclaiming the European crown.
The Balkan brothers, hometown hero Sanjin Pehlivanovic and World Championship runner-up Eklent Kaçi, faced off in a high-stakes Last 32 showdown after securing victories over Besar Spahiu and Liu Ri Teng, respectively. Despite an early deficit, Pehlivanovic rose to the occasion, overcoming past struggles to defeat Kaçi 10-8 and keep his European Open dream alive on home soil in Sarajevo.
The Ko brothers made a strong statement in the Last 64, with Ko Pin Yi defeating Lukas Fracasso-Verner and Ko Ping Chung overcoming Ermal Dyil. Ko Pin Yi was the first to secure his spot in the Last 16, dismantling UK Open semi-finalist Petri Makkonen 10-3. However, Ko Ping Chung fell short in a high-profile rematch of the 2023 US Open semi-final, as Max Lechner avenged his previous defeat with a 10-6 victory.
2023 World Championship runner-up Mohammad Soufi impressed with a commanding 10-3 win over snooker champion Gary Wilson in the Last 64. However, his momentum was halted in the following round by Mosconi Cup MVP Jayson Shaw, who stormed to a 10-4 victory over the Syrian.
Another MVP lit up Day Four with a commanding performance, as Team Asia’s Aloysius Yapp breezed into the Last 16. The Reyes Cup star dismantled Fitim Haradinaj 10-2 before dispatching Alexander Kazakis 10-6.
The Philippines’ campaign came to a close as Johann Chua was eliminated by Premier League Pool contender Edward Koyongian, dashing his hopes of European redemption in the Last 64. Carlo Biado’s European Open debut ended in heartbreak. The former world champion found himself trailing Tobias Bongers 7-1 before launching a remarkable comeback to force a hill-hill decider. In the final frame, a tense safety battle ensued, but it was the German who held his nerve to clinch victory, sending the remaining Filipino home.
With just 16 players remaining, the stage is set for an intense battle as the European Open Pool Championship enters its final stretch.
The Last 16
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (SPA) vs Tobias Bingers (GER)
Ko Pin Yi (TPE) vs Daniel Maciol (POL)
Max Lechner (AUT) vs Naoyuki Oi (JPN)
Lo Ho Sum (HKG) vs Marc Bijesterbosch (NED)
Aloysius Yapp (SGP) vs Pijus Labutis (LTU)
Joshua Filler (GER) vs Jayson Shaw (GBR)
Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) vs Sanjin Pehlivanovic (BIH)
Moritz Neuhausen (GER) vs Duong Quoc Hoang (VIE)
For the full draw and live rack-by-rack scoring will be available throughout the event at www.wntlivescores.com.
Session Times
The European Open Championship will take place from March 11-16
All times are local (CEST)
Last 16 – Quarter finals
15 March – 12 pm – 4:30 pm / 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Semi Finals – Final
16 March – 12 pm – 4:30 pm / 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Don’t miss the chance to catch the action as the 2025 European Open Pool Championship unfolds in Sarajevo – Spectator tickets available here!
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