US Open 09/18-23

[Island Drive]

I gotta like Shane this yr.
With his current reboot, and seein' em ''swingin' it'' like he did in his prime with larger pockets, he's comfortable.
Taking off his extension was his comment, and personally I can ''see it'' with his follow thru, cue rthythm and walk speed from shot to shot.

 

[sjm]

Shane's in great form, but he's one of many contenders. It's awfully tough to pick winners at the Matchroom majors, but so far this year, Yapp has won two of them, and Filler and Biado have each won one.

Looking forward to seeing who finds their best game in Atlantic City. With the prize fund so high, the US Open will be where the worthy can ensure their spots on Team USA and Team Europe. They can also make their statements for inclusion in the Reyes Cup.

Let the games begin.

 

[JAM]

I gotta like Shane this yr.
With his current reboot, and seein' em ''swingin' it'' like he did in his prime with larger pockets, he's comfortable.
Taking off his extension was his comment, and personally I can ''see it'' with his follow thru, cue rthythm and walk speed from shot to shot.

I think you can edit the title of this thread, but it should be 8/18-23 (August), not 10/18-23 (October). Not a biggie. We all know what you mean.

I'm thinking Johann Chua is going to rise to the top, but I have a few favorites. Of course, I want Shane to win and break the record. Sometimes in these events, it comes down to the draw and, of course, who's found their break and got it working. I would enjoy seeing Moritz, Kledio, and Sam Henderson do well. An interesting match on the TV table would be Eklent Kaci v. any Filipino.

We've got a full week of pool up ahead with lots of fun! WNTTV.com is the best deal in town, $10 for a one-month subscription and then you can pause and/or quit, or in the alternative, get a discount on a year for $100. Thank goodness DAZN is in the rearview mirror.

 

[skogstokig]

not picking anyone vs the field.. maybe the collective "previous winners" vs the field. i think i'd like that side

the increased prize money will hopefully add some pressure

 

[jbart65]

WNT did a nice job with the Battle of the Bull. Stacked field. Last day of the event felt rushed, but some good pool played.

Chua beat SVB fairly handily in the final, 13-8, making the shot of the tourney to further his cause. Chua also won the ranking event in Dubai leading up to the WPC, beating Gorst, but he was ousted a bit early in the WPC.

Chua did solidify his spot on the Reyes Cup. Some Asian player other than Biado or Yapp would have to win the U.S. Open to surpass him. That would leave two wild cards. Biado and Yapp are already locks.

I did think Chua’s safety play remained a problem. Made several somewhat costly ones vs both Wielinksi and SVB. And yet … he still ran through a lot of good opponents (Lechner, Wiktor, Duong, SVB).

Shane did get to the finals of both Florida and BotB. He is in good form.

So is Chang Yu Lung. Lost to Shane again in the semis. Strange to see Lung flex his muscles like this after doing nothing in the WNT since the tour ramped up after Covid.

Alas, the struggles of Albin Ouschan continued.

Not so Felix Vogel. Beat Moritz Neuhausen and went deep. Trying to make the case he is the best young German player.

Yannick Pongers also made another good run. Plays like his hair is on fire, but he’s some shot maker. Another up and comer.

 

[skor]

My guess is that the usual suspects won’t win - SVB, Gorst, Filler, Yapp.
I would like see to an unknown take it or an older player like Pagulayan

 

[sjm]

I'd be very surprised if anybody below Fargo 820 won the US Open 9ball title. Cinderellas are few and far between. Since 2000, I'd call Gabe Owen and Kevin Cheng the only two Cinderella winners.

The globalization of pool over the past decade has greatly changed the landscape of the pro game, and the major 9ball titles are the domain of just a select few.

I predict that the winner will carry a Fargo of 830 or better.

 

[skor]

I'd be very surprised if anybody below Fargo 820 won the US Open 9ball title. Cinderellas are few and far between. Since 2000, I'd call Gabe Owen and Kevin Cheng the only two Cinderella winners.

The globalization of pool over the past decade has greatly changed the landscape of the pro game, and the major 9ball titles are the domain of just a select few.

I'll go out on a limb and suggest that the winner will carry a Fargo of 830 or better.

Hohmann was unknown when he won the WPC in 2003.
It could happen....
Vogel is playiing Strickland in the first round, I would love to see Earl reaction getting bit by a kid...
I don't think that in a single event, there is much difference between 730 player to an over 800 player. All it takes is a good day and luck of the draw. it definitely dosn't matter in a single match.

 

[sjm]

Hohmann was unknown when he won the WPC in 2003.
It could happen....
Vogel is playiing Strickland in the first round, I would love to see Earl reaction getting bit by a kid...
I don't think that is a single event, there is much difference between 730 player to an over 800 player. All it takes is a good day and luck of the draw. it definitely dosn't matter in a single match.

There's a huge difference.

I think it is very unlikely that even one sub-Fargo-750 will make it to the last 16. Yes, a few sub-750 players will score a major upset at some point but making a deep run in a major means knocking out champion after champion, and experience says it will not happen.

 

[skogstokig]

Hohmann was unknown when he won the WPC in 2003.
It could happen....
Vogel is playiing Strickland in the first round, I would love to see Earl reaction getting bit by a kid...
I don't think that is a single event, there is much difference between 730 player to an over 800 player. All it takes is a good day and luck of the draw. it definitely dosn't matter in a single match.

it's all mapped out now though, there are very few unknown monsters. ameer ali was one in last year's WC. baseth mocaibat was fairly unknown until beating fedor and others on shark's in quezon.

fast improving youngsters are the potential "surprises". but i would think that the 100k first prize in itself favors previous MR major winners..

 

[skor]

There's a huge difference.

I think it is very unlikely that even one sub-Fargo-750 will make it to the last 16. Yes, a few sub-750 players will score a major upset at some point but making a deep run in a major means knocking out champion after champion, and experience says it will not happen.

they don't need to knock one champ after the other, the lack of the draw may clear a path

 

[joelpope]

I'd be very surprised if anybody below Fargo 820 won the US Open 9ball title. Cinderellas are few and far between. Since 2000, I'd call Gabe Owen and Kevin Cheng the only two Cinderella winners.

The globalization of pool over the past decade has greatly changed the landscape of the pro game, and the major 9ball titles are the domain of just a select few.

I predict that the winner will carry a Fargo of 830 or better.

Gabe was pretty well respected in the money game world & I don't think his win surprised that many people. Tommy Kennedy on the other hand was a dark horse of the first order

 

[sjm]

they don't need to knock one champ after the other, the lack of the draw may clear a path

Theory over practice. The truth is that deep runs (meaning last sixteen) in the modern US Open 9ball (meaning in the days with deep international fields year after year) by players under Fargo 750 just do not happen. Can you think of even one exception in the past decade? I cannot.

 

[Positively Ralf]

I know it's asking much, but I would want Skylar to win the US Open, just to have a big title next to his name. Or has his time passed by? I'm curious to see what the elite USA players after SVB do in this tournament. It feels like they've fallen off in the past 2 years, or maybe it's me.

 

[garczar]

There's a huge difference.

I think it is very unlikely that even one sub-Fargo-750 will make it to the last 16. Yes, a few sub-750 players will score a major upset at some point but making a deep run in a major means knocking out champion after champion, and experience says it will not happen.

The bigger the event the more the FR difference shows up. You're gonna go dead broke betting on 730's to beat 800's in a big event like this.

 

[skogstokig]

I know it's asking much, but I would want Skylar to win the US Open, just to have a big title next to his name. Or has his time passed by? I'm curious to see what the elite USA players after SVB do in this tournament. It feels like they've fallen off in the past 2 years, or maybe it's me.

time certainly hasn't passed by, but does he put in the hours? seems that always has been the question. the talent is obvious

 

[sjm]

I know it's asking much, but I would want Skylar to win the US Open, just to have a big title next to his name. Or has his time passed by? I'm curious to see what the elite USA players after SVB do in this tournament. It feels like they've fallen off in the past 2 years, or maybe it's me.

Derby City Master of the Table is a big title. Skyler won it in 2019. It is one of the very hardest titles to win in our sport.

 

[ctyhntr]

Is there a players list, or tournament chart to follow online?

 

[jbart65]

Since 2021 these are the winners (some multiple) of the big WNT opens with 256 players, and the 128-player WPC field..

Joshua Filler
Fedor Gorst
Shane Van Boening
Johan Chua
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
David Alcaide
Jayson Shaw
Aloysius Yapp
Carlo Biado
Eklent Kaci
Ko Pin Chung

Dang Jin Hu
Robbie Capito
Mickey Krause


Of these, only Krause is still below 800 on Fargo (793). Capito was below when he won the UK Open, but he’s at 813 now.

Only three other players below 800 got to the final of a big major. Soufi, Souto and Bijsterbosch. Soufi and Souto are in the 790s and Bijsterbosch is at 788.

Can’t recall anyone below 750 getting to the semis or quarters of a big Matchroom event.

 

[sjm]

Since 2021 these are the winners (some multiple) of the big WNT opens with 256 players, and the 128-player WPC field..

Joshua Filler
Fedor Gorst
Shane Van Boening
Johan Chua
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
David Alcaide
Jayson Shaw
Aloysius Yapp
Carlo Biado
Eklent Kaci
Ko Pin Chung

Dang Jin Hu
Robbie Capito
Mickey Krause


Of these, only Krause is still below 800 on Fargo (793). Capito was below when he won the UK Open, but he’s at 813 now.

Only three other players below 800 got to the final of a big major. Soufi, Souto and Bijsterbosch. Soufi and Souto are in the 790s and Bijsterbosch is at 788.

Can’t recall anyone below 750 getting to the semis or quarters of a big Matchroom event.

Thanks for this info. Souto was about 790 when he reached the final of the UK Open.

I can't even remember a sub-750 reaching the round of 16 at a WNT major. Perhaps it has happened. Perhaps it will happen this week, but I'm guessing not.

Of course, it would be great if somebody made a Cinderella run.