THERE ARE JUST eight players remaining in both men’s and women’s events at the 2026 LONGONI Italian Open as Sunday promises an exciting finale to the fourth event of the year on the Predator Euro Tour series. From 199 starters in the men’s and 51 in the women’s, just one previous winner in the men’s remain while there are three former titleists left in the women’s tournament.
In the men’s tournament, Karl Gnadeberg’s progress from junior superstar into the adult ranks has been a smooth journey as the Estonian reached his second Euro Tour quarter-final with a 9-7 victory over Mariusz Skoneczny. Karl was a WPA Under 17 World Junior Champion four years ago, as well as winning gold, silver and bronze in the European Youth Championships.
This week, Gnadeberg has beaten countryman Revo Maimre, Alex Montpelier and Yuma Dorner en route to the last eight and is looking ahead to a big Sunday.
Commented Karl, “I mean at the start it was decent and then the winner’s qualification was a bit worse but every game it gets better. I’ve played five games now and with every game I feel I’m getting more comfortable at the table.
“I’ve had a lot of great wins already this year and at the last Euro Tour I won against Mario He and I’m now going to the US Open so I think I’m ready for it. I’m practicing a lot and I think I can win against anybody if I play good and play my own game.
“You have to think about your own game; it doesn’t matter how your opponent plays also pre-game routine - you sleep early, wake up, early - everything like that.
“I don’t think about winning it’s more like setting a goal like a minimum goal I want to achieve this tournament. I was just thinking about reaching the last day here.”
Juri Pisklov of Germany has been playing the Euro Tour since 2011 but never more than one or two events a year, with some large gaps of absence. However, this year he’s playing a full schedule and it’s paying dividends as he makes his way into the final eight courtesy of a 9-6 win over Maks Benko.
Earlier he enjoyed a career victory as he despatched WPA World No.1 and European No.1 Wojciech Szewczyk 9-5 in the round of 32.
Commented Juri of the Szewczyk match, “I’m very excited because he was No.1 in the world so I had absolutely no pressure and he definitely had the pressure. He didn’t play as good as he usually does but I was really nervous and lost my focus a bit but the last game was good and I’m proud.
“This year, I set myself a goal to play every Euro Tour and see where I end up at the end of the season and it’s going good. Anything can happen now and I want to get to the final; that is my goal and of course to win that would be nice!”
Sitting on top of the women’s rankings is Sandra Baumgartner and she overcame some indifferent play earlier in the tournament to motor into the quarter-finals of the Longoni Italian Women’s . A hill-hill win over Julia Babica got her into the loser’s qualification match where she powered past Mirella Feito 5-0. She then made light work of Louise Furberg 7-3 to give herself a chance of maintaining her No.1 spot as well as claiming her maiden Euro Tour title.
Commented Sandra, “For me it feels crazy. I’ve never won a Euro Tour but I think I’ve had a lot of good tournaments in a row so that makes me to be No.1. It brings a lot of pressure and I’m not very good in handling it! I know that I’m capable of winning but something is missing at the end, the last piece so maybe I will find it this week.”
Another player chasing their first Euro Tour win is Poland’s Monika Zabek who defeated
Maya Globocnik of Slovenia 7-3 to take herself into the final day. Zabek is looking to improve on her semi-final finish from Antalya in March, and she’s honed her game by playing heyball across the world over the previous month or so. She now faces close friend and roommate Oliwia Zalewska for a semi-final berth.
She said, “Match after match I’ve played better and better so I’m positive about the future so we will see. In the last month I’ve been in Malaysia, India, and there was European Championships in Poland so basically, I’ve been playing heyball.
“Heyball is good for pool as it’s easier to pot so I think it’s going to be good. I’m missing the position play a little bit as the cloth is a little bit different; it’s more slick on a pool table. It’s either me going home or Oliwia so either way for me is a win.”
Play recommences on Sunday morning at 10.00 with the quarter-finals of both events. The semi-finals are set for 13.00 and 16.00, with the title deciders schedules for 20.00. As of 2026, WPA World Ranking points are now available on both men’s and women’s Predator Euro Tours.
Tables 1 and 2 at the Longoni Italian Open will be streamed throughout on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ProBilliardTV
For all results, live scoring and draw, visit www.epbf.com
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