Naoyuki Oi and Joshua Filler are set to take centre stage in Sarajevo for the 2025 European Open Pool Championship final, each striving for their first title.
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.
Naoyuki Oi secured his place in the final after a dominant display against Daniel Maciol, avenging an earlier loss to the Polish cueist in the double-elimination rounds. Maciol claimed the opening rack, but a scratch on the break in the second allowed Oi to seize control. A tense safety battle in the fourth rack gave Maciol a chance to respond, but a costly miss on the 9-ball saw Oi extend his lead to 4-1.
From there, the Japanese star found his rhythm, racing through racks at lightning speed. A golden break in the eighth frame fuelled an incredible 11-rack streak, with Oi barely slowing down as he closed out an emphatic victory. The win not only settled the score with Maciol but also secured Oi's first-ever appearance in a Matchroom Major final.
On the other side of the draw, Joshua Filler continued his relentless charge, overcoming
Pijus Labutis in a commanding 11-6 victory. Filler set the tone early with a three-rack lead, dictating the pace with precise safeties and pinpoint jump shots. Labutis fought to stay within reach, but each time he closed the gap, Filler responded with clinical shot-making to maintain his advantage.
Despite flashes of brilliance from the Lithuanian, he struggled to take control when it mattered most, allowing Filler to power through to his first European Open final. For Labutis, the result marks his third semi-final exit in a Matchroom Major, falling just short of the ultimate stage once again.
Naoyuki Oi and Joshua Filler will now battle for the championship in a race to 13 today at 7:30 pm CEST. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, with fans in USA, Vietnam, and other international territories can catch the action at WNT TV. Full broadcast list available here.
Final – Sunday, 16th March– 19:30 CEST Naoyuki Oi (JPN) vs Joshua Filler (Germany)
Live rack-by-rack scoring will be available throughout the event at www.wntlivescores.com.
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