Bijsterbosch And Dang To Contest Spanish Open Final - Alison Chang

Marc Bijsterbosch and Dang Jin Hu will contest the inaugural Spanish Open Pool Championship final at Pazo de Feiras e Congresos de Lugo, Spain in partnership with The Asociación Gallega de Billar Pool (AGP), live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in Spain, the USA, Italy, and Brazil, Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics and Poland and broadcasters worldwide from 7:30 pm CEST.

Bijsterbosch came through hill-hill in a semi-final that delivered it all against Pijus Labutis of Lithuania. The pair couldn’t be split early on as they exchanged blows at 2-2 and again at 4-4 after Labutis had gone 4-2 in front. Despite the lead, Labutis’ break that was so consistent in his quarter-final over Fedor Gorst was errant at best with two dry breaks after six racks.

Both players were in their first Matchroom semi-final and the nerves showed at times with Labutis handling the heat seemingly better as he took an 8-4 lead that stemmed from a costly miss on the two ball from Bijsterbosch in the ninth rack. Labutis looked much favoured as he kept applying the pressure and keeping the distance.

2023 Spanish Open - Marc Bijsterbosch into Semi

©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport

For Bijsterbosch, his quarter-final was as dramatic as they come going the distance against Duong Quoc Hoang despite a heavy lead early on but this time, he was having to do the leg work as he opened the door laying a neat safety at 9-7 down to bring his opportunity and get it back to nine apiece.

The Dutchman will partner with Niels Feijen at the World Cup of Pool next week and Feijen will have been impressed with the resilience shown with Bijsterbosch leading for the first time at 10-9. The drama was certainly not lacking though as Labutis got back to the table to make it hill hill after a lengthy safety exchange on the two.

There was an untimely dry break from Labutis in the decider which brought Bijsterbosch in to set up a maiden Matchroom final later today.

2023 Spanish Open - Marc Bijsterbosch into final

©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport

In the second semi-final, Skyler Woodward went in buoyed by an incredible 10-0 victory over Ko Pin Yi last night whilst Dang Jin Hu headed into the contest having beaten his American counterpart during the double elimination stage.

Woodward gifted the opening rack to Dang having scratched early on and it set the tone as to what was to follow for the Bluegrass Bad Ass. The Kentucky native broke dry on three occasions during the opening seven racks and looked out of sorts but still well in the contest at 4-3 down and soon it was 5-3 with a simple combo on the nine for Dang. Dang has shown a smooth rhythm all week and shown he can mix it with the best despite it being his return to the international stage for the first time in more than four years.

2023 Spanish Open - Skyler Woodward into Semi

©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport

At 5-4 up, Dang left a six ball hanging in the jaws of the pocket to allow Woodward in but he failed to make it pay and soon a two-rack buffer was ensured once again. Opportunities were coming for Woodward and he missed the nine in the 12th rack to bring Dang in who made it 8-4.

There were plenty of problems left in this match for Dang though and a missed six ball allowed Woodward to come back in at 8-5 and then make a ball on the break for the first time, only for that joy to be short-lived as Dang seized on an errant five ball from Woodward. From there, Dang went on to secure a maiden final against Bijsterbosch.