All four wildcards are now known for the 16-player tournament, which takes place from February 14-21 Newly-crowned Derby City Classic champion Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz was named as the final of four wildcards for the inaugural staging of Premier League Pool, which takes place from February 13-21 in Milton Keynes. Two-time women’s world champion Kelly Fisher, American Skyler Woodward and Poland’s Mieszko Fortunski were Matchroom’s other three wildcard selections. Two-time world champion Albin Ouschan, the reigning champion of the Championship League which has rebranded into Premier League Pool, headlines twelve automatic qualifiers via the 2022 Nineball world rankings. All 16 players will face one another before the field is whittled down to ten players. An additional four players will then be eliminated after those ten players have faced off once again. The remaining six play each other once more on day eight before the top four contend the play-offs. All group matches are race to five, alternate break. 2022 PREMIER LEAGUE POOL February 13-21 Milton Keynes, England Participants Nineball World Rankings Albin Ouschan David Alcaide Joshua Filler Shane van Boening Max Lechner Aloysius Yapp Naoyuki Oi Eklent Kaci Alexander Kazakis Omar Al-Shaheen Jayson Shaw Oliver Szolnoki Wildcards Kelly Fisher Skyler Woodward Mieszko Fortunski Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz

Spain’s Sanchez-Ruiz defeated Germany’s Filler in the Derby City Classic final to become the first ever Nineball ranking champion

Shaw smashed the previous record of 626, which was clocked by John Schmidt almost three years ago ๏ Photo: Pete Marovich / American Reportage Fresh from his second straight MVP award at the Mosconi Cup, Jayson Shaw etched his name into the record books once again, running 714 balls to break the straight pool world record. A mere two years and eight months after straight pool specialist John Schmidt historically scuppered Willie Mosconi’s 65-year record, clocking a score of 626, the record books were being amended once again. Shaw achieved the feat at the Street Lights Billiard Academy in Virginia during the early hours of Tuesday morning, with thousands of viewers glued to the Legends of Straight Pool live stream. Shaw, who was crowned Turning Stone Classic champion for a record-breaking seventh-time earlier this month, was witnessed screaming towards the camera as balls 625, 626 and 627 found pockets. Straight pool fanatics Bobby Chamberlain and Dean Chapman founded the initiative last month, with their intentions to invite the sport’s top professionals in an attempt to break records. Shaw had surpassed the 400 mark on a couple of occasions before creating history, while the likes of the legendary Earl Strickland and Shane van Boening had visited the academy in recent weeks and posted similar runs.

Russian Fedor Gorst avoided the dreaded shootout on his way to defending his Arizona Open title Fedor Gorst successfully defended his Arizona Open title on the US Pro Billiard Series, defeating Roland Garcia in straight sets continue his tremendous start to the season. The 21-year-old delivered a similar result as he did last summer, as he battled his way back from the one-loss side of the bracket to defend his title, holding off Filipino Garcia 4-3. 4-2. With the victory, Gorst earned $25,000 and automatic entry into the 2023 World 10-Ball Championships in Las Vegas. After his opening break shot of the championship match resulted in an effective spread of the balls, the young man from Moscow appeared positioned to draw first blood but missed a routine seven ball in the corner pocket. He would tie the match at a game each when his opponent failed to pocket a ball on the break in the next game, then tacked on another rack when Garcia missed the one ball on a jump shot. The Filipino would claim two of the next three games thanks victorious safety exchanges and appeared to be in position to steal the first set but struggled with cue ball positioning down the stretch and missed the eight ball, allowing Gorst to steal the set, 4-3. The second set tilted in Garcia’s favor early, after Gorst missed the 1 ball in the first game and the Filipino knocked in a combination on the ten ball then broke and ran to build a 2-0 advantage. Momentum shifted in the third game when Garcia scratched on the break, allowing Gorst to climb onto the scoreboard and then tie the match when his opponent misplayed the six ball. The Russian then used a break-and-run to take his first lead but failed to pocket a ball on the break in the next rack. Looking to tie the match and send it to a sudden death shootout, Garcia attempted a table-length jump shot to pocket the 1 ball and missed, leaving a wide-open table for his opponent. Gorst calmly pocketed the remaining balls to repeat as Open champion. Gorst, who opened his day with straight set victories against Ralf Souquet in the round of 16 and Kang Lee in the quarter-finals, needed to beat Mieszko Fortunski of Poland in the semifinals to secure a spot in the championship. Fortunski, who is routinely reaches the late stages of big events, was undefeated through the first three days and had already disposed of world nineball champion Albin Ouschan in the quarter-finals. After the 29-year-old Fortunski swiped the first rack of the first set, Gorst rattled off three straight wins thanks to a dry break and a missed shot by his opponent. Fortunski won a safety exchange to cut the deficit to 3-2 but failed to pocket a ball on the break in the sixth game, handing Gorst the table and a combination shot on the 10 ball for the match-winner. The second set was all Gorst, who took advantage of multiple misses by his opponent to build an early 2-0 advantage. The young Russian forfeited the table in the third game when he missed the seven ball but his opponent would miss the ball as well, allowing Gorst to climb to within one game of another trip to the finals. The former world nineball champion capped off the set with a winning combination shot on the 10 ball, defeating Fortunski 4-2, 4-0. The Russian earned the victory despite struggling with his breaking throughout the final day, failing to pocket a ball on the break three times against Fortunski and twice in the finals against Garcia. The Russian suffered his lone defeat in the event to Spain’s Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, who finished tied for third after losing in a semifinal shootout to Garcia. The Filipino displayed complete control during in the opening set against the Spaniard, as he mixed in a couple of run outs along with a Sanchez Ruiz miss to pitch a 4-0 shutout. Sanchez Ruiz found his bearings in the following frame, building a 2-0 advantage thanks to a much-needed break-and-run before scratching on the break in the third game. Garcia won three straight games thanks to a break-and-run and a missed cut shot on the one ball by his opponent in the fifth game. After Garcia executed tough cut shots on the three and four balls in the sixth rack, it appeared that his victory might be a foregone conclusion – until he missed the five ball in the corner pocket. Sanchez Ruiz cleared the remaining balls to tie the score at 3-3, then used a bank shot on the one ball in the seventh game to run out the rack, win the set, 4-3 and force a shootout. As the crowd at Casino Del Sol gathered around the arena, the spot shot competition turned into two players who challenged each other to blink, with each pocketing four straight balls without a miss. When the cue ball was moved back a diamond and the format switched to sudden death, the balls continued falling into pockets as if almost routine. After Garcia had made his eighth straight shot, Sanchez Ruiz struck the cue ball and watched as the ten ball rattled in the pocket’s jaws and then popped out, giving Garcia the victory.

The 256-player field for the UK Open Pool Championship has sold out in under an hour in the midst of huge demand Player entries for the first-ever UK Open Pool Championship have sold out in under an hour with 256 spots quickly snapped up ahead of the inaugural tournament from May 17-22. A prize fund of $200,000 will be on offer as 256 players battle it out to become the inaugural winner of the UK Open Pool Championship, with the major event contributing towards the newly-announced Matchroom nineball world rankings. World number one Albin Ouschan will go into the tournament as a red-hot favourite with the likes of third seed David Alcaide, fourth seed Shane Van Boening and World Cup of Pool winner Joshua Filler set to feature in what promises to be a special week of action. Matchroom Multi Sport Managing Director Emily Frazer said: “We cannot wait to see all 256 players at the inaugural UK Open later this year. It is fantastic to see such a big appetite for a brand-new event that we will be bringing. “We have seen lots of different players from around the world signing up, including snooker players on the World Snooker Tour. With $200,000 on the line, it could really be career-changing for some of the entrants. We’re excited to see the action unfold and will be able to give information on spectator tickets soon” The brand-new UK Open Pool Championship will bring 256 of the world’s best players to the UK. Lending its format from the US Open Pool Championship, the UK Open will see players fight through a seeded double elimination stage led by the top 32 on the nineball world rankings. Only the last 16 will make it through to the straight knockout stage.

The European Open Pool Championship will take place in Germany in November and becomes the latest major Matchroom nineball tournament Matchroom Pool have revealed the latest edition to their 2022 nineball schedule, with the inaugural European Open Pool Championship planned to take place in November in Germany. Emulating the formats of the famous US Open and newly-launched UK Open, the European staging will see 256 players compete between November 15-20 for the $30,000 top prize. The European Open will mark the conclusion of the 2022 ranking season, with the full European and American teams for the Mosconi Cup being confirmed following the event. Joshua Filler will participate on home soil, with the tournament set to be broadcast live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

The Championship League has been rebranded to Premier League Pool and will commence the new Nineball era in mid-February Premier League Pool will replace Championship League Pool in the Matchroom Nineball schedule. 16 players will compete in a league format with an increased prize fund of $100,000 guaranteeing each player $2,500 and the winner taking home $20,000. It will be a non-ranking event broadcast worldwide across two tables. The format will see the top 12 players on the Matchroom Nineball World Rankings plus 4 wild cards invited. The first Premier League Pool will take place at the Stadium MK, Milton Keynes in England from Monday February 14 to Monday February 21.

Matchroom Pool have revealed their new Nineball ranking system sanctioned by the WPA in a revolutionary step for the sport Matchroom Pool are thrilled to announce the inauguration of the nineball world rankings. The rankings will become the cornerstone of the game globally to recognise nineball as the primary discipline of pool, sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association. The establishment of the nineball world rankings propels Matchroom’s further commitment to the growth of pool globally. The Matchroom nineball world rankings will promote clear, fair, and concise rules to develop the professional aspect of the sport across the world and will:- Promote pool as a major professional sport Create a clear structure throughout the game Form qualification for all Matchroom promoted events Feature nineball events outside of Matchroom events, including established and professional event organisers of Diamond Billiards, Pat Fleming, the EuroTour, and more Be open to all ambitious players worldwide whilst establishing a fair platform for women in the sport Produce fair seeding from rankings throughout all scheduled events Matchroom’s recent expansion into open-fielded nineball events is with the aim to increase participation numbers on the professional side of the sport and across the world, with further additions to the roster: US Open, UK Open, and the European Open. Field sizes of 256 players, guaranteed prize money, and now a seeding structure, as well as ranking points earnt, strengthens Matchroom’s commitment to the sport of Pool. Matchroom President Barry Hearn said: “We are going to make pool a major global sport and together we’re going to show what can be achieved and what dreams can be created for the players all around the world already playing this wonderful game.” “For the first time, you have a major global company looking after players and making sure the opportunities are second to none. Get involved either as player or fan. We need everyone to pull in the same direction and under Matchroom’s leadership nineball pool will shock the world over the next few years.” “The game needs to make that quantum leap into the big time and Matchroom are ready to take it there in 2022. This is going to be electric.” From January 2022, the Matchroom nineball world rankings will:- Feature the primary rankings list of an initial top 32 ranked players with a top-up of a further eight players, this list will be used throughout the 2022 events for qualification and seeding to the Matchroom nineball schedule of events Feature the secondary rankings list of live actual ranking points of prize money earnt that will come into effect December 2022 as well as contribute towards the Mosconi Cup 2022 team qualification Feature eight Matchroom promoted events Have a rankings committee who together initiated the official top 32 of players and will continue to monitor the status of the primary rankings throughout 2022 to ensure they fairly reflect performance Matchroom Multi-Sport Managing Director Emily Frazer explained: “Finally players have a clear and transparent entry system to the biggest staged events in the world. With the support of the WPA, the nineball world rankings is the perfect opportunity to bring together the whole pool community. It is time we create structure and organisation in this sport. “This announcement of structure is exactly what the sport of pool has needed to push forwards and commercialise. Now there will be a clear structure on our website, that will be detailing our schedule of events, how you qualify, how you earn ranking points, and when the cut-off is. Tournament seedings is a key part of the nineball world rankings; an advantage and benefit to the players tis to be ranked in events on order of merit. “In the last couple of years, we have gone from three events to eight in 2022. It was vital and integral to the sport of pool for us to bring the pool community together and to work with other event organisers as part of our nineball world rankings. Thanks to the likes of Diamond Billiards for the Derby City Classic, Pat Fleming for the International Open, EPBF President Gre Leenders for the EuroTour to create a bigger ranking system for our players.” “In 2022, we are bringing you a total of $1.7million of prize money. What a journey we are on and what a journey we are starting. This announcement of the nineball world rankings is exactly what pool has needed to turn this into a global recognised sport. This is the motivation that every single person that loves this game just as much as we do to pick up a cue and start playing. This is time for everyone in the community to come together and professionalise this sport.” From December 2022, the Matchroom nineball world rankings will: Be formed on prize money won at events with ranking status set out as part of the Matchroom nineball schedule Be based on a two-year rolling period to ensure a fair sample size Be displayed on the Matchroom Pool website throughout 2022 and see how it will impact the 2022 Mosconi Cup Ranking status will be awarded by prize money and therefore events will be categorised into the below tiers, this will establish a clear Tour for the players to participate in: Event Status (subject to change and review on a yearly basis) Blue Ribbon > $300,000 + Major Events > $150,000 – $299,999 Ranking Events > Up to $149,999 The 2022 Matchroom Nineball schedule will begin with the Diamond City Classic 9-Ball on January 26 promoted by Diamond Billiards before Matchroom’s first-ever Premier League Pool at the Morningside Arena, Leicester in England from Sunday, February 13 to Sunday, February 20.

Jayson Shaw was crowned MVP for the second successive year as Europe ran rampant to defeat the USA and retain the Mosconi Cup Team Europe have won the 2021 Cazoo Mosconi Cup at Alexandra Palace, London to retain the cup for a second year in an 11-6 victory over Team USA. Alex Lely and Karl Boyes’ side needed only two points on the final day of play to secure a famous win over the USA and make it 14-13 overall in the cup’s history and they delivered that in three matches sending Alexandra Palace into pandemonium. Europe started out with the formidable duo of Jayson Shaw and Joshua Filler in action against Shane Van Boening and Skyler Woodward as the fans’ choice doubles match. Shaw seemed to start to feel the heat as he missed the five ball which allowed the USA to be on the hill first but only for that to rejuvenate Shaw and Filler as they moved within one of victory. Woodward was in the mood to delay the party though and put up one of the showings of the week as he silenced the London crowd to down Shaw 5-2 and keep America’s faint hopes alive at 6-10 down. There was nearly another twist in the tale late on as Van Boening took on Filler in what was ultimately the last match. Van Boening hit the front at 2-1 which is when Filler produced a 2 9 carom for a shot that delivered up to his nickname as The Killer. The match went back and forth but Filler moved to the hill first and sealed it in typical Filler fashion to the chorus of ‘Oh Joshua Filler’. Shaw’s week of two singles wins and three doubles wins saw him pick up the Predator MVP award for the second year in a row: “It feels amazing, hats off to the team, we showed a lot of heart over the last two days. To win MVP for the second time feels incredible.” He added: “I’d advise all European fans to make the trip over to the States and give us as much support as possible next year! The more events for us are perfect for us in 2022, I am looking forward to it. Hopefully, we can all have good years next year as individuals. I can only imagine here in 2023, there could be 6,000 fans in there. “That would be amazing because there is no other tournament like the Mosconi Cup. It is just the weirdest feeling; you do not experience it in any other tournament. You’re swearing all year to find out if you’re making the team. To make the Mosconi Cup is every player’s dream. This is what you look forward to all year.” “I was expecting Jayson to get the last point! In the doubles match, I was struggling. I was waiting to play Shane and I have never lost a singles match against him. Jayson came to me at 4-4 and said ‘you’re gonna run out this rack’, and then I ran out. “I should have in my mind what to say. It was a special four days in the end! Thank you so much to the team who made this happen. Jay kept the crows going nuts all the time. Alex and Karl gave me the right words at the right time. The whole team as well. We have so many champions as well. If you don’t take their advice you’re probably dumb!” said Filler. “I am proud and satisfied. I am very happy. What I will reminisce most is the hugs and after when we finally got it done. That will stay with me for a long time. We got lucky to not fall behind 6-3. On the morning of day three, I said what I wanted to say and I should’ve said earlier. We put the leadership in the group.” “I would love to get the chance to defend the title in Las Vegas,” said captain Lely. “I would really love it. Three years stint is fine, you ask me if I would love it? The camaraderie, the togetherness, and intensity. I already know in the car, in bed, wherever I will have flashbacks. “I know where my head will be for the next ten days. I enjoy it. I give 100%. It is a team of champions. The Mosconi Cup is a different beast. It isn’t mathematics. I pride myself on giving 100% and together with Karl we give a lot. Having this team makes that easier.” Lely added: “I think having a structure when players know how to get on the team, more players will commit. My players did many things right this year. I am 100% convinced they have found it. Karl is knowledgeable and he brings a lot of passion. “He brings knowledge about the game. He is a no-nonsense player. He brings that to us. Away from the table he brings fun and laughter as well as knowing his team so well. I think Jeremy has been a great captain this year. Maybe it helped them that he had to step in.” For Albin Ouschan it capped off a historic year that saw him claim the Championship League Pool title, World Pool Championship title, and International Open title, and now the Cazoo Mosconi Cup. “Against Skyler, it was horrible,” the Austrian said. “My racks I played well, his racks I played well. I am still glad we still made it as a team. It’s the perfect ending for me for this year.”