Pijus Labutis wrote his name into Nineball history, defeating Moritz Neuhausen 13–7 in a thrilling final to capture his maiden Matchroom Major title at the 2025 Hanoi Open Pool Championship.
For Labutis, the victory represents the culmination of years of perseverance and near misses on the World Nineball Tour, as he finally broke through to join the sport’s elite in front of a packed and passionate Hanoi crowd.
Reflecting on his victory, Labutis said: “I’m shaking — I can’t even describe how this feels. I’ve dreamed about this moment for so long, and to finally be here holding this trophy feels unreal. I played my heart out today, and I’m so proud of how I handled the pressure.”
“I’ve fallen short in a few semi-finals before, and it was hard to keep believing at times. But I told myself that if I kept working, my time would come — and today it did. My break was working, my confidence was high, and everything just came together. To win my first title here in Hanoi, in front of such an amazing crowd, makes it even more special.”
“I know I can compete with the best. I’ve always believed that. This victory proves it — and it’s just the beginning.”
Final Result
Pijus Labutis 13 - 7 Moritz Neuhausen
The final began with Labutis taking control early after winning the lag, but Neuhausen responded swiftly, capitalising on a rare error to string together three consecutive racks and take the lead. Both players exchanged tactical blows in the opening stages, with the score finely poised at 4–3 for Neuhausen after a tense safety battle in the seventh.
From there, Labutis found another gear. A daring escape in the eighth rack turned the momentum in his favour as he levelled the match before embarking on a blistering run of form. With ruthless composure, the Lithuanian strung together seven racks on the spin to storm ahead 10–4, leaving Neuhausen chasing shadows.
The German clawed back a few racks following a foul by Labutis, narrowing the deficit to 10–7, but a failed safety in the next proved costly. Labutis seized the opportunity, clearing the table and breaking and running his way to the hill.
Delivering one final textbook break, Labutis laid out the perfect roadmap to victory, dispatching the remaining balls to seal his long-awaited triumph.
After reaching semi-finals at the 2023 Spanish Open, 2024 UK Open, and 2025 European Open, Labutis’ breakthrough in Hanoi marked the moment his persistence paid off — a defining milestone in his rise on the world stage.
The 2025 Hanoi Open Pool Championship — the third edition of this prestigious Matchroom Major on the World Nineball Tour — took place at the Vietnam National Sports Complex in Hanoi, Vietnam, showcasing five days of elite Nineball action from 8–12 October.