David Alcaide’s dramatic hill-hill win in the 2023 European Open Pool Championship final against Anton Raga in Fulda, Germany, has seen the Spaniard move into pole position for an automatic spot in the Race to Mosconi Cup standings as well as into the World Nineball Tour Rankings top 10. WNT RANKINGS Alcaide and Raga played out one of the most dramatic finals witnessed this year in a battle of experience and youth, with the wily warrior in Alcaide coming good to pounce on a late Raga mistake for a maiden Matchroom signature multi-table title. The $30,000 winnings see Alcaide move up to number two in the Race to Mosconi Cup standings and into the top ten of the World Nineball Tour Rankings for the first time. It was a week to remember for Raga, who was making his debut in a Matchroom major as well as his first time ever in Europe, and he took full advantage. A run to the final sees Raga enter the world’s elite at world number 51, the second-highest Filipino behind former US Open champion Carlo Biado. Shane Van Boening’s run to the semi-finals sees the five-time US Open champion strengthen his grip on the second automatic spot for Team USA in the Race to Mosconi Cup standings, with compatriot Skyler Woodward locking in the first spot after the South Dakota kid fell to eventual winner Alcaide in Germany. See more as Woodward locks in the first spot on Team USA here. Wojciech Szewczyk re-enters the world’s top 20 after reaching the quarter-finals before losing out to Raga 10-7, whilst compatriot Daniel Maciol enters the world’s top 32 after reaching the Last 16. Tyler Styer had his best run of the year so far, making the Last 16 with the American into the Mosconi Cup picture for the first time at number four and now world number 42. Joshua Filler’s momentum continued to gather pace despite suffering a heartbreaking loss to Raga in the semi-finals last week, with the German well placed for a shot at the automatic spots for the Mosconi Cup as well as tightening his grip on the world number three spot. Filler now holds a $32,080 advantage over 2022 European Open champion Albin Ouschan. A strong field assembled in Germany with 57 countries represented with the World Nineball Tour Rankings now featuring players from 72 different countries across all four corners of the world. There are 169 Americans ranked making the pool powerhouse the most popular country represented in the rankings with 16 in the top 128. WORLD NINEBALL TOUR RANKINGS TOP 128 BY COUNTRY
RACE TO MOSCONI CUP STANDINGS EXPLAINED Three spots for both Team Europe and USA are up for grabs off the World Nineball Tour Rankings, with all eyes on the one-year list for hopefuls. The first automatic pick for each side was locked in after the conclusion of the European Open Pool Championship set to take place in Fulda, Germany, from August 8-13, with the second automatic selection to follow at the US Open Pool Championship from September 25-30 at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City before the final automatic spot will be given after the conclusion of the inaugural Asian Open Pool Championship from October 10-15.
NEXT WORLD NINEBALL TOUR RANKING EVENT The first-ever Oceania Nineball Tour event in partnership with Pockets Sports will take place in Adelaide, Australia, with a prize fund of $30,000 from August 18-20 – more information including the entry list is available here. NEXT MATCHROOM EVENT The signature Matchroom multi-table and oldest major in the sport, the US Open Pool Championship takes place at Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City, USA, from September 25-30, where Francisco Sanchez Ruiz will look to defend his title. The SVB Junior Open will return on September 28-28, with entries open to Juniors aged 17 and under from Thursday, 17 August, at 3pm UK time. Buy your tickets here from $25.
Matt Lynch Matchroom Pool
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