Shane Van Boening’s bid for a record-breaking sixth US Open Pool Championship crown hit an unexpected setback on day two, as the American fell into the Losers’ Bracket following a surprise defeat to Finland’s Arseni Sevastyanov at the 2025 LiveSB.io US Open Pool Championship.
The 2025 LiveSB.io US Open Pool Championship — the 48th edition of the World Nineball Tour’s most prestigious major — continues at the iconic Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from 18–23 August.
Van Boening looked sharp in the early stages, but the match turned midway through as Sevastyanov capitalised on errors to complete a famous victory.
“I’m obviously disappointed with the loss. I let the match slip away and didn’t close out when I had chances. But the US Open isn’t over — I’ll regroup and go again tomorrow. I still believe in my game and I’m not giving up on that sixth title.”
For Sevastyanov, it was a career-defining win against one of the sport’s greats.
“My hands are still shaking. It’s unbelievable to beat Shane because he’s such a legend of the game. But once I settled down, I just tried to focus on my own performance. This gives me a lot of confidence, but I know the tournament is long and I can’t get carried away.”
Meanwhile, reigning champion Fedor Gorst kept his title defence firmly on track with a composed 9-4 win over Michael Baoanan, booking his spot in the Last 64.
“It feels great to be through to the single elimination rounds. Michael pushed me in parts of the match, but I stayed solid and got the job done. I’ll use the day off to practise and make sure I’m sharp for the knockout stage — that’s when the real test begins.”
Fresh off his World Championship triumph earlier this year,Carlo Biado remains in contention for a second US Open crown, edging past Boris Ivanovski 9-6 to move into the Winners’ Qualification round.
“I didn’t start well — I missed some easy shots and put myself under pressure. But I managed to fight back and take control towards the end. I’m happy to get through, but I know I need to raise my level for the next matches.”
Last year’s Mosconi Cup MVP Jayson Shaw also advanced to the Last 64, defeating his previous World Cup of Pool teammate Elliott Sanderson in style.
“I felt really strong in that match. I played good safeties, kept Elliott under pressure, and stayed in control throughout. I love playing in the US Open — it’s one of the best events on the Tour. I’ve been coming here since I was 16, and there’s always a buzz around it.
“For me, the pressure is part of the fun — it gives me adrenaline on the table. I don’t really feel nerves, I just enjoy competing. One match at a time, but I’m feeling good this week.”
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Fans can follow the full draw and live rack-by-rack scoring at www.wntlivescores.com, with coverage of the action shown on WNT TV in the USA and other selected international territories. Full broadcast list can be found here.