David Alcaide Begins Title Defence At The 2024 European Open Championship

David Alcaide kicks off his title defence with a strong start, while top players Mario He and Miesko Fortunski face upset exits at the 2024 European Open Championship in Fulda, Germany.

Now in its third year, the European Open Championship returns to Hotel Esperanto, in partnership with the City of Fulda and local sport’s authority Fulda Die Sportstadt, as well as renowned broadcaster Sky Sports.

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Alcaide demonstrated his champion form throughout the second day, swiftly taking the first two racks in his opening match against James Oyangoren. Although Oyangoren levelled the score with a 5-9 combo in rack three followed by a fortunate 3-9 fluke in rack four, Alcaide quickly regained control. A golden break in rack six highlighted his dominance, leading him to a well-deserved 9-2 victory.

Building on his success, Alcaide triumphed in his second match against Mahmoud Ibrahim Charif with a 9-5 win to secure his place in the next stage. Alcaide said, “I feel very confident. I felt I played really well in my first match, while my second match was a bit more difficult but still good.”

2024 European Open - David Alcaide Begins Title Defence

©Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport

Mario He faced a shocking exit on the second day, entering the losers’ qualification round after losing to the six-time Mosconi Cup winner Nick Van Den Berg 8-9 in his first match. The Austrian Panda went on to face the Cypriot Antonis Brabin claiming redemption with an 8-5 victory, but his run ended when he was knocked out by Saudi Arabian Khalid Alghamdi 8-6. Shock defeats continued by the end of the day with “The Butcher” Miesko Fortunski being knocked out in his third match against fellow Pole Radoslaw Babica.

The 2023 world champion, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, began his quest for another Matchroom Major title with a solid performance. He secured a 9-3 victory against Thanasis Chronis but faced a tougher challenge from Kosovo’s Labinot Markaj. After reaching 4-4, Sanchez Ruiz surged ahead to finish the match 9-6, advancing to the next stage.

2023 World Pool Masters - Day 3_Mario He

Mario He at 2023 World Pool Masters – Day 3｜©Taka G Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport

Joshua Filler started his tournament run with a swift 9-0 whitewash against fellow German Sebastian Rudek. Continuing his strong performance, Filler faced Cristian Surdea and secured a 9-3 victory, featuring a golden break in the penultimate rack. Expressing his aspirations, Filler remarked, “It would be my first major title to win in my home country. I’m trying hard to get a German title under my belt, but I still need to improve my game in this tournament.”

Hometown hero Thorsten Hohmann showcased his skillset with a 9-1 victory against Spaniard Tashunka Witko in his opening match. However, the German struggled to maintain his momentum in his second match following a scratch at the break in the final rack allowing Lin Ta Lito to clinch the win. Thorsten recovered in his final match, redeeming himself in another hill-hill showdown against Tobias Hoiss, so he could continue his tournament run in his hometown.