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Euro Tour Men / Dynamic Billard St Johann Open
Sporthotel Alpina
Alpendorf 8
St. Johann im Pongau
5600
Austria
www.epbf.com/tournaments/eurotour - facebook - live stream
www.sporthotel-alpina.com

Thursday 23 - Saturday 25 May 2024

Mohammad Soufi - Syria.
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Dynamic Billard St Johann Open - Soufi is Champ in Austria

Reporter: Luke Riches on behalf of the EPBF
Photography: ©EPBF

MOHAMMAD SOUFI, THE Germany-based Syrian, claimed his second DYNAMIC BILLARD Euro Tour title as he got the better of Tobias Bongers by 9-6 to take the Dynamic Billard St Pongau Open. Bongers had seemed to have done the hard part earlier in the day as he ended Joshua Filler's long and successful Euro Tour streak and then ousted Mieszko Fortunski from the tournament.

However, Soufi's speedy all-out aggression and devil-may-care play won the day for him as he entertained a sizeable crowd in the arena. Having recently acquired new playing equipment, Soufi seemed to have adapted to it in no time and what he occasionally lacked in positional play, he more than made up for with unerring pocketing.

Commented Soufi, “I'm feeling very good about this event. This is the second time for me but on the Thursday before the tournament started, I had a call from my family that my father was taken to hospital. Today he got out and I promised him I will give my best for him and I'm happy to have won this tournament for my father.

“Before the match he was at home and said he would watch the game. THE haven't seen my family for 11 years so it was good to win for them.”

"Read More..." for the details.

Mohammad Soufi - Syria.
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The Syrian won the lag and saw the one ball drop and he completed an excellent runout to take the opener. Bongers, who struggled a little in semi-final with his break, made no mistakes in the second game as three balls dropped. A cut on the 2-ball, moving three rails for the 3, enabled a runout to level things.

A 3/9 combination from Soufi took him back into the lead and they both had visits in the fourth game before Soufi asserted himself after Bongers safety escape left a little too much of the 1-ball showing. Heh wrapped up the rack, albeit it with a touch of good fortune to take a 3-1 lead.

The Syrian shooter found himself blocked on the 1-ball after his break and elected to push out, leaving the edge of the one available. They both went back-and-forth on the 1-ball before finally. Soufi scratched into the center pocket. Bongers was presented with a fairly messy table and couldn't make precise position on the 2-ball.

Following a well-placed snooker, Soufi fouled again, making the jump, as the white failed to clear the intervening 8-ball and with ball-in-hand once again, Bongers cleared in what was a must-win rack for him.

An illegal break from the German left the cueball in a horrible spot, squeezed between the 4 and 7. Soufi put him back in and he played a push and again, Soufi sent him back to the table. His jump shot made him good connection with the 1-ball but left it on for Soufi. The layout was extremely tough but Soufi was magnificent in his clearance to restore his two-rack advantage.

Despite seeing edge of the 1-ball, Soufi pushed out and Bongers gave it back. Ultimately, Bongers fouled with a table length one-rail escape and Soufi sets about the table in his aggressive style. It became his undoing though, as he missed on the 4-ball and left it on. Bongers missed though, trying to bank the 7-ball into the center pocket which effectively handed the rack back to Soufi for a 5-2 lead.

Bongers made no mistakes in the next, running out from the break to reduce the deficit to two racks but another fast rack from Soufi took him into a 6-3 lead with Bongers now having it all to do. There were two balls on the break for Bongers as well as a good cue ball but the rack became a little messy. In the end, Bongers seemed to have done all the hard work, but a miss on the 8-ball unraveled it and Soufi stepped up to make it 7-3.

Three balls on the break but with no shot on the lowest ball and Soufi decided to push out. This left Bongers with a couple of options and he cut the 2-ball into the top right pocket, leaving perfect shape on the 3-ball. From there, he ran out to claw one back.

The German #24-ranked player took the next to keep his chances up but I could ill afford any mistakes with Soufi two away from victory. Soufi gave himself a slight chance off his next break with two balls down. Riding his luck, he took the 2-ball on, made it and enjoyed some luck gaining position on the 3-ball. From there, he dished up to reach the hill at 8-5.

Bongers wasn't done just yet as he ran out from the break to make it 8-6 but it was now Soufi's to lose. He made no mistakes though as he got himself over the line with an easy 3/9 combination.

Soufi added, “Tobias is my friend and I've known him for five or six years we play in the same teams together. He's been playing very well – his last tournament in the UK Open he finished eighth and he beat some great players here. He's a good guy and starting to really play well.”

The Predator Euro Tour Women's St. Johann Im Pongau Open is well underway, having played down to the final 16 from a starting line-up of 48 players. They will return on Sunday morning at 10.00 to play to a finish. The final is scheduled for 4.00pm. All matches are a race-to-seven with alternating breaks.

For viewers at home, Tables 1 & 2 will be streamed throughout on YouTube. Table 1 will be on the Kozoom channel, while Table 2 will be available throughout on the EPBF platform. All other tables can be viewed on the Kozoom.com website, where there are a variety of subscription options.

Table 1 link = https://www.youtube.com/@KozoomTV/streams
Table 2 link = https://www.youtube.com/@theepbf/streams
Tables 1-20 = https://home.kozoom.com/en/all-cue-sports

Results, live scoring, and draw are available at www.epbf.com

Mohammad Soufi - Syria.
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DAY TWO

Szymon Kural - Poland.
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Dynamic Billard St Johann Open - 16 Left in St Johann

Reporter: Luke Riches on behalf of the EPBF
Photography: ©EPBF

WE ARE DOWN to the final 16 players in Austria as day two of the DYNAMIC BILLARD St Johann Open concluded a fierce day's play. Nine of the top ten ranked players were in competition this week and there are six of those nine still in it as the tournament reaches its final day.

The last remaining Austrian hope left is Mario He who enjoyed three wins today including a last 32 9-3 victory in the round of 32 over young German Boris Ivanovski. He can look forward to a match against Mateusz Sniegocki tomorrow morning.

Joshua Filler enjoyed two wins today in his quest for a sixth consecutive Dynamic Billard Euro Tour title and he will be fancied as he faces recent WPA World Junior Champion Szymon Kural in the round of 16.

Young Pole, Kural, battled back strongly after getting relegated to the one loss side early in the day. He beat Germany's Sebastien Ludwig by 9-2 to secure his passage to the final day's play, where he does the unenviable task of trying to derail Filler's imperious run on the Euro Tours.

Kural, who is 19, said; “Joshua will be the toughest opponent I can play tomorrow but after this day I don't mind. I started today with a hard loss to Valentino Cordelli in Winners' Round 2 and I couldn't do much and was a bit angry. I found my game, though, on the left side and played four matches in a row so it was definitely a hard day and a marathon but I'm happy that I'm playing tomorrow and will do my best as always.

“I know that I can play very very good but I think in a match with Joshua the most important thing will be the break. He has a very good one but if I can break well then maybe I can win. We shall see, he added.

Mohammad Soufi, the German-based Syrian, who won his maiden Euro Tour title last year in Tallinn, Estonia, is on course for number two as he defeated Dennis Grabe in a final rack decider on table one.

He said, “I played all the games well today but my break didn't really work but I think positive and fight and as I have to win. Right now, I don't feel I'm playing my best – my father is sick in hospital and that is affecting me but I'll give it my best for him.

“I feel very good with my new cue. I've been playing with it for about six weeks and each time it gets better. Because it's new and you have to really practice to make the change.”

Soufi faces a tough one against Hungary's Oliver Szolnoki in the next round.

The remaining competitors are back at 10.00 on Saturday morning for the last 16 matches and play through the day with the championship match getting underway at 5.00pm.

The Predator Euro Tour Women's St. Johann Im Pongau Open gets underway on Saturday morning with the Round One matches starting at 9.00. There is a strong field of 48 players and they play down to the last 16 which reconvenes on Sunday morning to play to a finish. The final is scheduled for 4.00pm. All matches are a race-to-seven with alternating breaks.

For viewers at home, Tables 1 & 2 will be streamed throughout on YouTube. Table 1 will be on the Kozoom channel, while Table 2 will be available throughout on the EPBF platform. All other tables can be viewed on the Kozoom.com website, where there are a variety of subscription options.

Table 1 link = https://www.youtube.com/@KozoomTV/streams
Table 2 link = https://www.youtube.com/@theepbf/streams
Tables 1-20 = https://home.kozoom.com/en/all-cue-sports

As well as the prize money, there are Tour ranking points on offer, so there is everything to play for. All Euro Tour tournaments are 9-ball and players compete in a double-elimination format, playing down to the last 32 competitors, and then single elimination until the finish. All matches are races to 9 racks with alternating breaks.

Results, live scoring, and draw are available at www.epbf.com

Mohammad Soufi - Syria.
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DAY ONE

Dynamic Billard St Johann Open - Euro Tour Gets Underway to Austria

Reporter: Luke Riches on behalf of the EPBF
Photography: ©EPBF

DAY ONE WRAPPED up in St Johann im Pongau at the second event of the season on the Dynamic Billard Euro Tour. With 243 players in attendance, there were plenty of matches as three rounds completed. With the Tour's strongest field contesting, there are plenty of intriguing matches set for tomorrow as the field reduces down to just 16.

Many of the starting Austrian line-up of 35 players made good progress with big name Mario He defeating Matjaz Erculj of Slovenia by 9-2 and then winning a final rack decide against Dietmar Pitz (Germany) to make his way into Winners' Round 2 where he faces off against another German in Tobias Hoiss. Other Austrians to advance on the winners' side include Mirzet Pandur, Gerhard Koch and Patrick Pomberger.

Joshua Filler (Germany) was gunning for his incredible sixth consecutive Dynamic Billard Euro Tour title in six starts, following consecutive wins starting at the Lasko Open in 2022 and taking in victories in St Johann, Podčetrtek, Lasko again and then Treviso. He opened his account today with a 9-3 victory over Poland's Jegor Michejenko and now faces Alvaro Canoniga (Spain) in Winners' Round 2 at midday on Friday.

Commented Filler; “Of course when you look at the stats and the chance to win six in a row, there's pressure but I've had that before the event because I know, most likely, I'm the favorite to win it every time. The the way I break, the way I play and the way I feel about the Euro Tour is always positive.

“When I played my very first one, I was 13 and I had the chance to play Oliver (Ortmann) and Dimitri Jungo and also beat them so I always have good memories when I look back on the Euro Tour so every time I come here, I'm enjoying the event, the table is playing good and it's also mine favorite place here, St Johann. I played my first final here, against Niels in 2015 so coming back there's always pressure and this is what I like about sports, having pressure and having the chance to make records so I always look at the positive things.

“When I look back to when I was 17 or so and I looked to Albin who he was winning the China Open and his first world title and he was 25 or 26 and I though 'damn, he's already that old' and now I'm 26 myself but I know you can do this sport on the high level until you're 45 so I still have a long way to go.

“Seeing all the new young players is also good because it shows you, we always bring up good people and the younger generation enjoys the sports which is always positive and this is what the future will bring. When you play these youngsters, they're going to pick up many, many things from you. We have players like Felix Vogel from Germany who's already been to a final then Walter Laikre and many more. I keep an eye on them and it's good to see,” he concluded.

Another player fancied to do well this week is the in-form Pole, Mieszko Fortunski, who is starting to make a real name for himself in a national squad that is very deep in talent. Fortunski came through with a 9-6 win over Kostas Connaris (Turkish North Cyprus) and goes up against Sajan Schroter (Germany) tomorrow.

Sitting at No.2 on the ranking and having enjoyed his second Euro Tour victory in Tampere last year, Fortunski has emerged as arguably the strongest player in the Polish pack.

He said, “I won for the first time in a long time on the Euro Tour last year, so now I focus on every single tournament and I just want to win one of them this year. I just want to focus on my game. It's really tough to win here as there are a lot of really good players in Europe and every match is tough so you have to keep that focus on every single shot and get the luck every now and again.”

Play continues at 9.00 on Friday with the conclusion of Losers' Round 2 and plays all the way down to the last 16 with a total of eight rounds.

For viewers at home, Tables 1 & 2 will be streamed throughout on YouTube. Table 1 will be on the Kozoom channel, while Table 2 will be available throughout on the EPBF platform. All other tables can be viewed on the Kozoom.com website, where there are a variety of subscription options.

Table 1 link = https://www.youtube.com/@KozoomTV/streams
Table 2 link = https://www.youtube.com/@theepbf/streams
Tables 1-20 = https://home.kozoom.com/en/all-cue-sports

As well as the prize money, there are Tour ranking points on offer, so there is everything to play for. All Euro Tour tournaments are 9-ball and players compete in a double-elimination format, playing down to the last 32 competitors, and then single elimination until the finish. All matches are races to 9 racks with alternating breaks.

Results, live scoring, and draw are available at www.epbf.com

PREVIEW

Dynamic Billard Euro Tour Men & Predator Women's Euro Tour

Reporter: Luke Riches on behalf of the EPBF
Photography: ©EPBF

THE DYNAMIC BILLARD Euro Tour has returned once again to the magnificent Alpine resort of St Johann im Pongau as a whopping 243 players have arrived to contest the second Euro Tour stop of the year. Always at popular venue with its never-ending mountain views, the tournament gets underway at 9am local time and plays to a conclusion on the evening of Saturday 25th, with the final at 5.00pm.

A solid Austrian showing sees 35 players in the line-up with Mario He and Daniel Guttenberger being the stand-out names. Of the top ten ranked players on Tour, nine of the top ten are cueing it up this week, with only recent father Wojciech Szewczyk an absentee.

That means Joshua Filler, who has rampaged through the Euro Tour over the past 18 months will be gunning for his ninth title and it would take a brave man to back against him. That said, the event has the strongest field for some time and players like Mieszko Fortunski, who has hit a rich vein of form, will do everything to stop him.

Fellow Pole, Daniel Maciol, who was a first-time Euro Tour winner last time out in Tallinn, will also surely have something to say on the matter. In addition, a host of medal-winning junior stars are competing as they look to advance their careers into the senior ranks.

With such a large field, there are a lot of matches on the opening day with Round 1, Winners' Round 1, and Losers' Round 1 completing.

In addition, the Predator Ladies Euro Tour also takes place this week, getting underway on Saturday 26th and playing down to the final which takes place this Sunday. 49 players have signed on to compete which is another deep field for the ladies tour.

The defending champion is Veronika Ivanovskaia (Germany) while her compatriot, Pia Filler was a winner last time out in Tallinn.

For viewers at home, Tables 1 & 2 will be streamed throughout on YouTube. Table 1 will be on the Kozoom channel, while Table 2 will be available throughout on the EPBF platform. All other tables can be viewed on the Kozoom.com website, where there are a variety of subscription options.

Table 1 link = https://www.youtube.com/@KozoomTV/streams
Table 2 link = https://www.youtube.com/@theepbf/streams
Tables 1-20 = https://home.kozoom.com/en/all-cue-sports

As well as the prize money, there are Tour ranking points on offer, so there is everything to play for. All Euro Tour tournaments are 9-ball and players compete in a double-elimination format, playing down to the last 32 competitors, and then single elimination until the finish. All matches are races to 9 racks with alternating breaks.

Results, live scoring, and draw are available at www.epbf.com

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