Copper Box Arena
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
London
E20 3HB
Great Britain
020 8221 4900
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www.copperboxarena.org.uk
Tuesday 30 May - Sunday 4 June 2023
Joshua Filler - Germany
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FILLER AND KACI TO CONTEST 2023 UK OPEN POOL FINAL
Joshua Filler and Eklent Kaçi will contest the 2023 UK Open Pool Championship final at the Copper Box Arena, London live on Sky Sports from 6pm UK time and DAZN in the USA, Spain, and Brazil as well as on Sport1 in Germany and Matchroom.Live in Albania.
Joshua Filler 11-1 Ko Pin Yi
Eklent Kaçi 11-5 Skyler Woodward
It was an afternoon that few could have predicted with World Pool Masters winner Ko Pin Yi torn apart by an imperious Filler who was looking to stamp his authority on the tournament he won 12 months ago. Filler put on a clinic throughout with Ko struggling for any sort of table time as the German gathered ahead of steam with an air of calmness that wouldn't suggest it was a semi-final of a Matchroom major.
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The early knockings were close with the spoils shared after two but from there Filler found a gear that almost looked unstoppable.
Ko looked to have played Filler into a troublesome position in the third rack but the Cuetec Mosconi Cup MVP pulled out a highlight reel kickshot to make the five in the top right pocket despite being locked up tight to the six and nine. It was a masterstroke of an effort and it was clear from there, Filler was in red-hot form.
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At 3-1 down, Ko scratched when drawing back from the two which allowed Filler back in for another rack and 4-1. There was half chances for Ko but nothing truly there for the taking and after a brief safety exchange in the fifth, it was 4-1 to Filler. Filler's safety play was exemplary to give Ko little eye on a pocket and keep the defending champion with the upper hand throughout as he raced into a 6-1 lead. A golden break for Filler soon made that lead 7-1 and it was only four more required for victory. From there, the Bonen native didn't look back as he booked another UK Open final where he will meet Kaçi.
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Kaçi's contest with Woodward promised to be a nail-biter but the Albanian Eagle chose to fly through the racks and leave his American opponent very little table time. For Woodward, it took until the eighth rack to get any table time with Kaçi rattling in the opening seven racks without reply to leave himself just four away from the final inside the opening hour.
It took until 8-0 for Woodward to start finding table time and his feet in the contest. The Blue Grass Bad Ass was feeling it with a fist pump of relief, following as he took the following two racks to cut the lead to six and soon five.
Woodward had his mojo back with confidence brewing despite the deficit but a scratch on the break in the 12th rack looked to have handed Kaçi upper hand again who got back to the table to make it 9-3. Kaçi was throwing lifelines Woodward's way and he had another in the next rack with a dry break. Woodward stepped up to make it 9-4. T
he drama was yet to be done, Woodward fired in a beauty of a bank early in the 15th rack but the vital nine didn't fall afterwards to allow Kaçi to bank it and reach the hill.
At 10-5 down, Woodward had three balls between him and being only four adrift and applying real pressure on Kaçi but an unfortunate miss on the six allowed Kaçi to swoop in and book a final spot against Filler this evening from 6pm.
Joshua Filler (GER) vs Eklent Kaçi (ALB)
Eklent Kaçi - Albania
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Betting Markets
Match odds are available daily through online gaming websites with outright odds for the 2023 UK Open Pool Championship also available. At the start of today, Woodward was priced at 14/1 to win the tournament whilst Kaçi was at 11/1. Filler meanwhile was 10/3 and Ko Pin Yi at 9/2.
Live rack-by-rack scoring is available throughout the event at www.matchroompool.com thanks to our partner PRP.
Watch
The final two days are live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland with fans in the USA, Italy and Brazil able to watch on DAZN whilst those in Scandinavia, Baltics, Netherlands and Poland able to sweat the action on Viaplay. Those in Germany, Austria and Switzerland can see the final two days on Sport1 whilst fans in the Philippines able to watch in TAP Go.
See where to watch in your country here.
Tickets
Tickets are available from £15 a day to enjoy the action inside one of London’s most historic sporting venues. Tickets are limited for the weekend. Buy tickets here.
Session Times – UK time
Sunday, 4 June – 6 pm – 9:30 pm
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