FILLER, LABUTIS, OI, AND MACIOL MARCH INTO SEMI-FINAL| 2025 EUROPEAN OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 16 Mar 2025
Joshua Filler moves one step closer to his first European Open title, returning to the semi-finals of the European Open Pool Championship after defeating Jayson Shaw and Wojciech Szewczyk. He joins Pijus Labutis, Naoyuki Oi, and Daniel Maciol in the final four.
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.
Filler, a former semi-finalist, is now within reach of the European crown after another dominant display. The German star dismantled Mosconi Cup MVP, Jayson Shaw with a clinical 10-4 victory in the Last 16 before facing Poland’s Wojciech Szewczyk in the quarter-finals. Szewczyk had delivered a statement win over Sarajevo’s hometown favourite Sanjin Pehlivanovic, dispatching him 10-2.
The Polish cueist carried his momentum into the quarter-finals, racing to a 3-0 lead over Filler. However, in true "Killer Filler" fashion, the German turned the match around, mounting a fierce comeback to clinch a 10-6 victory and secure his place in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Pijus Labutis continued his strong form, eliminating Team Asia MVP Aloysius Yapp in the Last 16 before setting up a quarter-final clash with another Team Asia standout, Duong Quoc Hoang. Duong had secured his spot with a commanding 10-4 win over Moritz Neuhausen, but Labutis proved too strong, claiming a composed 10-6 victory to book his third career semi-final at a Matchroom Major.
Daniel Maciol was the first to secure his place in the final four, following an impressive run through the knockout stages. The Polish cueist overcame Ko Pin Yi 10-4 in the Last 16 before facing Germany’s Tobias Bongers, who had previously stunned the top seed Francisco Sanchez Ruiz. Despite Bongers’ giant-killing run, Maciol proved the stronger competitor, sealing a 10-6 win to keep his title hopes alive.
Naoyuki Oi delivered one of the most dominant performances of the tournament, thrashing Max Lechner 10-1 in the Last 16. The Japanese showman then faced Hong Kong’s Lo Ho Sum, who had previously knocked out Marc Bijsterbosch. Oi once again proved his class, overcoming Lo to reach his first Matchroom Major semi-final since 2021.
The semi-finals take place tomorrow, with Daniel Maciol facing Naoyuki Oi to kick off the action at 1:00 PM CEST.
Sunday 17th March - 1 pm CEST time – Semi-Final
1pm –
TV Table – Daniel Maciol (POL) vs Naoyuki Oi (JPN)
Approx. 3:30pm –
TV Table – Joshua Filler (GER) vs Pijus Labutis (LIT)
Sunday 17th March - 19:30 pm CEST time – Final
The Bosnia & Herzegovina Junior Open
The Bosnia & Herzegovina Junior Open concluded today with an exciting final between close friends Walter Laikre and Ivan Rudenko. In a high-stakes showdown, Sweden’s rising star Laikre delivered a commanding 9-4 victory to claim his first Junior Open title and the top prize of $2,500.
Young talents aged 17 and under from around the world gathered in Sarajevo, each eager to make their mark as the next big star, battling for a share of the $10,000 prize fund.
Live rack-by-rack scoring will be available throughout the event at www.wntlivescores.com.
Don’t miss the chance to catch the action as the 2025 European Open Pool Championship unfolds in Sarajevo – Spectator tickets available here!
For all the latest updates, follow Matchroom Pool on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube
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