Down To The Semis After Dramatic Day in Austria

Alpina Hotel, St Johann im Pongau, Austria

IT WAS QUARTER-FINALS day at the PREDATOR PRO BILLIARD SERIES as all three events played down to the last four. The best-of-three sets format means the pressure never ends until the last 10-ball is potted and the prospect of a spot shot shoot-out is never far away when the first two sets are shared.

In the Billard Beckmann Men’s Open, Felix Vogel, the 2025 WPA World Junior Champion, is transitioning superbly into the men’s game and he showed his quality to defeat an in-form Max Lechner to dash home hopes and advance to the semi-finals. Vogel is a top ten ranked player on the Predator Euro Tour and arguably the outstanding young prospect in European pool.

He said, “I’m happy with my performance and I feel great on the table. It’s all about the big tournaments these days. I haven’t reached very far results-wise in such a big tournament as this so maybe this is a breakthrough and I can be more consistent. Now maybe I’ll just watch the World Cup, eat some ice cream and schnitzel and sleep!”

A player making moves into the upper echelons of the game is Hungary’s Oliver Szolnoki, who put paid to Jonas Souto’s hopes via a two-sets-to-one victory. A World Games gold medallist as well as two-time Euro Tour winner, Szolnoki is becoming a force in the game and can look forward to Monday’s semi-finals with some confidence.

Commented Szolnoki, “I’m feeling  very happy but it was a tough game and in the last set my break was not really working. He had his chances but he got behind balls, and he made some mistakes to let me back. The third set started better for him and looked like it was going to go his way but somehow, I managed to squeeze through.”

Szolnoki puts his escalating improvement down to hard work and regular sessions with his coach, Vincent Gomez. “He lives in Vienna and I’m from Hungary so we’re quite close and working together a lot and he always tells me more things about my technique and of course, I’m practicing very hard. My game has been better and better since I started working with him these last four years lately all the little pieces are starting to come together and I hope it keeps going like this,” he added.

Georgi Georgiev (Bulgaria) relied on his confidence and belief to come through a dogfight with Poland’s Mateusz Sniegocki. Having lost the first set, Georgiev cantered through the second, before closing it out.

The Bulgarian is definitely the dark horse this week and can look forward to Felix Vogel on Monday afternoon. On Table 2, Wu Kun Lin had too much for Eklent Kaci, defeating him 4-3, 4-3 in a tight match to progress to the final four.

In the Carrinho Women’s Open there was joy and pain as the four quarter-final matches played out  as the large contingent of Asian players continued to dominate. 13 Asian ladies filled out the last 16 and now three of the four semi-final spots.

Wei Tzu Chen (TPE) was a winner over Liu Shasha (CHN) in an anticipated match on Table 2. 4-3, 4-2 was the score but with the set format, the jeopardy is always there and she was delighted to get over the line and take her place in the semi-final draw.

Commented Wei Wei, “Obviously, she’s a very good player so it required not only technique but mental strength and focus and with that win I’m very happy that I actually did what I expected. To help, sometimes I don’t look at the score so like you’re playing sudden death.

“If I lose this rack or miss some shot then it’s next one, next one, like that and just focus on your short goal. Playing in Europe, in 2022 I just missed by a step – I got second in the World Championship – so if I can win this one – obviously every player wants to prove themselves and I’ve proved myself again and that’s massive.”

On Table 1 it was Seo Seoa (KOR) who broke Pia Filler’s heart as she edged it in the deciding set in what was a highly-competitive match. The Korean girl has got previous form at PBS European events, having won in Spain in November of last year.

Seoa said, “Well, me and Pia played really well so I just tried to do my best, focus on one shot, it was a very good match with her. If I play like this again why not ? I think I can win against everyone. Hopefully, I can keep playing like this.”

Jasmin Ouschan survived a 3hr 12-minute epic to defeat Japan’s Chihiro Kawahara in the deciding set. Safety battles galore defined the match and it was the Austrian who outlasted her opponent. The remaining quarter-final was another drawn out affair but ultimately it was Muyan Zhang (CHN), who takes her place in the last four line-up after defeating countrywoman Han Yu.

There was more Asian success in the Predator Mixed Doubles as the four semi-finalists emerged after some tough last eight matches. The Japanese pairing of Naoyuki Oi and Chihiro Kawahara were the first winners, 2-0 over Kristina Tkach and Eklent Kaci, which was remarkable for the fact that Kawahara had just lost a three-hour-plus match and had 15 minutes before the start of her doubles game.

Fu Xiaofang (CHN) was teamed up with Dennis Grabe (EST) and they managed to overcome the pairing of Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) and Yuki Hiraguchi (JPN) to take their place in Monday’s semis. At 3-2, with the match heading to a shoot-out, Hiraguchi missed a straight 8-ball with just the 10-ball remaining and that error wrapped it up for Fu and Grabe.

Commented Grabe, “It was a bit of  struggle all the way but overall, we played well and my partner is a good potter, plays amazing and I feel comfortable playing with her, so it was a nice win. Sometimes you need to get the rolls  and you need to get lucky also so in the end it’s like a coin flip if it’s a shoot-out.

“So, we’re relieved to get the win with two easy balls in the end. I trust her as she pots so good and I can leave her longer shots so it makes it a bit easier so we’re a good couple to play pool together.”

Monday is semi-final day in all three events. The women get the ball rolling at 11.00, followed by the men at 14.30. Finally, the mixed doubles last four deciders are at 18.30. The live stream for Tables 1, 2 and 3 can be found on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV channel –  https://www.youtube.com/@ProBilliardTV

For all results, live scoring and draw visit the events’ homepage https://probilliardseries.com/event/2026-austria/

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