Barry Hearn OBE, President of Matchroom Sports, made his much-anticipated debut at the prestigious 2024 US Open Championship, joined by renowned TalkSport radio host Andy Goldstein.
This year marks the 47th edition of the prestigious US Open Championship, returning to Harrah’s Resort for the fourth consecutive year in partnership with Caesars Entertainment and the Atlantic City Sports Commission, along with renowned broadcasters Sky Sports and DAZN.
Both Barry Hearn and Andy Goldstein finally stepped onto the World Nineball Tour, having agreed to compete in the historic US Open Pool Championship during last year’s Mosconi Cup.
Although he fell short in his opening match, losing 9-1, ‘The Guv’nor’ Hearn captivated the audience with an impressive long shot 2-9 combo that earned him his first rack against Polish star Konrad Juszczyszyn. In an effort to remain in contention during the losers’ qualification round, Hearn faced Barry Hetherington in his second match but was unable to carry his luck forward, failing to secure a single rack and resulting in his exit from the tournament.
Reflecting on his debut, Hearn stated, “I have been involved with this sport all my life. I enjoy the game, the personalities, the rules, and the complexities. Today was a combination of all that. People think it’s an easy game, but it’s anything but. Today was up there with the top moments of my life.”
Unfortunately, Andy Goldstein did not share Hearn’s fortune in his first match, suffering a whitewash at the hands of former World Champion Ralf Souquet. The ‘Gailforce’ sought redemption in his next match, initially leading 3-0 against John Francisco. However, Goldstein was unable to maintain his early momentum, ultimately handing Francisco the opportunity to run the racks and finish the game 8-3.
©Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
In pursuit of his sixth US Open title, five-time champion Shane Van Boening delivered a solid start, defeating fellow American Eric Roberts 9-3 on day two. Following in Van Boening’s footsteps, Mosconi Cup Team USA captain Skyler Woodward secured a tough 9-4 victory against Ali Al Obaidli to advance to the winners’ qualification round alongside Team Europe captain Jayson Shaw.
Ko Ping Yi, brother of defending US Open champion Ko Ping Chung, also showcased his skills on day two, stopping Singapore’s Sharik Sayed with a convincing 9-2 win to join his brother in the next stage. Additionally, European Open champion Mickey Krause continued his successful year by defeating German cueist Cliff Castelein 9-4 in pursuit of a second Matchroom Major title.
Top players Sanjin Pehlivanovic and Shane Wolford faced unfortunate early exits on day two, as they were eliminated by Michael Felicano and Barry Hetherington, respectively.
Live rack-by-rack scoring will be available throughout the event at www.wntlivescores.com.
Session Times
All times are local time (EDT)
Days 1-4 (19-22 August) – 256 to Last 16
From 10am – 9pm
Days 5-6 (23-24 August) – Last 16 to Winner
Saturday 10 August – 10am to 2:30pm / 4:30pm to 9pm
Sunday, 11 August – 10am to 2:30pm / 4:30pm to 7:30pm