Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz (Taka G Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)
Joshua Filler and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz will contest the 2022 UK Open Pool Championship final at the Copper Box Arena, London this evening from 5:30 pm in a Race to 13 live on Sky Sports in the UK, Matchroom Pool Facebook in the USA, Canada, Spain, and Italy, Viaplay in Scandinavia, and the Baltics, as well as Matchroom.Live in selected territories.
Semi-Finals
David Alcaide 4-11 Joshua Filler
Shane Van Boening 4-11 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
Filler come up against Nineball World No. 3 David Alcaide who was looking to go one better than his last semi-final appearance in an open event at the US Open last year, but it was the German who showed why he has the nickname of the Killer dismantling the Spanish sensation 11-4.
The newly crowned World Pool Masters champion took the opening rack after losing out on the lag to Alcaide. Alcaide was left with a tricky two off, the break that led to a brief safety battle before Filler rattled in the two proceeding to clear up for the early advantage. A break and run in both the second and third rack gave Filler the dream start and left Alcaide stewing over what was to come. The door was left ajar though in the fourth rack by Filler after leaving no angle on the one ball. Alcaide won the next two racks to get back in it at 3-2 down.
An unlikely mistake from Alcaide in the sixth rack on the one ball proved to be his biggest downfall in the contest. Filler wrapped it up to lead 4-2 before another break and run to lead 5-2 and six away from victory. The key moments seemed to be decided on the break though, Alcaide looked to have a chance in the eighth after Filler was hooked and played the push out. Alcaide opted to put Filler back in but that proved costly as Filler wrapped up another rack to be 6-2. The shot on the one from that initial push out was one of the shots of the contest and Filler’s tournament. Filler’s efficiency was a joy to watch at times as he soon whittled through another rack to go 7-2 up and into a commanding position.
The tenth rack was erroneous at best but it was Filler who showed the ruthless nature that has seen him win so many tournaments in his tender years. Alcaide knew he needed movement and quickly to make haste and he won the 11th to be 8-3 down. Filler has his chance in the 12th with a three/five combination but that didn’t prove fruitful for the deficit to be cut to four.
Alcaide was struggling from range, and he failed to put away the two which gave Filler his next chance to pounce and be inches away from the final. In the 14th rack, Alcaide’s two ball was again the nemesis as Filler put one foot into the final on the hill. Before too long, a quick break and run saw Filler become the first finalist.
Shane Van Boening stood in the way of Sanchez Ruiz and a debut final in a Matchroom tournament. El Ferrari was taking on his 12th match of the week after being knocked onto the losers’ side after his opening match of the tournament. Van Boening meanwhile had found life relatively easy as he cruised to a second final in three events.
Sanchez Ruiz won the lag and started in the perfect manner with a break and runs in the first two racks to lead 2-0.
The first mistake from Sanchez Ruiz came in the third with a miss on the six into the middle pocket as he looked for shape on the seven. The Diamond side pockets coming into their own at this point. Van Boening broke in his usual fashion in the fourth but an uncharacteristic misjudgment on the four left Sanchez Ruiz the chance to lead 3-1.
The bone of contention in the match came in the following rack after a brief safety exchange. Van Boening tried to kick the three after it was hidden. The referee judged that Van Boening had failed to hit the rail after making contact with the three resulting in a quick review before Sanchez Ruiz had ball in hand and the opportunity to go 4-1 up.
Sanchez Ruiz’s lead soon went to 5-1 then 6-1 in quick fashion as Van Boening was looking at another almighty come back if he was to make it through to the final. Cool under pressure, Sanchez Ruiz pushed out on his break in the eighth rack forcing Van Boening to jack up. Van Boening went around the houses on the one but was left with the cue ball in the jaws as he attempted to make the two. Sanchez Ruiz got back to the table and did the rest to make his lead six racks.
Van Boening finally had his chance in the ninth as he swept up the table from an error on the four from Sanchez Ruiz. The South Dakota kid had some momentum and had put a stop to the five Sanchez Ruiz racks on the spin with a further two to trail by only three at 7-4. That momentum was soon swiftly halted in the following rack as Van Boening got into a safety battle with Sanchez Ruiz with the latter coming out on top.
With the break back in Sanchez Ruiz’s hands, he took the next one swiftly to go 9-4 up and inches away from victory. The closing curtain for Van Boening came in the next rack as he looked to get back on the board. A bank on the seven saw the cue ball take speed to the opposite end of the table kissing the eight ball on its way and scratching to give Sanchez Ruiz the easiest route to the hill. Sanchez Ruiz’s road map to victory was set with a perfect break and run in the last rack to set up a tantalising all European final with Filler.
5:30 pm Final – Race to 13
Joshua Filler vs Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
The final is available on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, Matchroom Pool Facebook in the USA, Canada, Spain, and Italy as well as on Viaplay in Scandinavia and the Baltics and various other broadcasters worldwide including Matchroom.Live in relevant countries. See the full where to watch list here.
NEXT EVENT
The 2022 World Cup of Pool will take place at the Brentwood Centre, Essex this June 14-19 with Efren “Bata” Reyes set to represent the Philippines as 32 countries battle it out for pride and their share of the $250,000 prize fund.
