2026 Roobet European Open: What Went Down

That's a wrap on six days of non-stop nine-ball action at the Roobet European Open Pool Championship.

And what a week it was. The tournament delivered exactly the energy and hype fans expected when things kicked off on Tuesday. The quality of play was clear from the start, and everyone in the arena was trying to guess who would be crowned the 2026 Roobet European Open Pool champion. Here's a spoiler: it was a 22-year-old Mosconi Cup MVP.

So, without further delay, here is a wrap-up of what happened over the week.

Day 1

With hundreds of players on the tables, opening day was packed with action.

Defending champion Joshua Filler started his tournament with a bang, demolishing 20-time Finnish champion Jani Siekkinen 9–1. World No. 1 Fedor 'The Ghost' Gorst made a powerful opening statement, cruising past Mirnes Mujic 9–0 in just 39 minutes.

Robbie Capito matched Filler's scoreline, dismantling Holger Vier 9–1, while a strong performance from 2025 Philippines Open winner David Alcaide saw him crush Lovro Bracun 9–0.

Day 2

On the second day of the Roobet European Open Pool Championship, players were still contesting their first matches.

'The Martian' Duong Quoc Hoang, brimming with confidence after his Premier League Pool win, beat Amar Idrizovic 9–2, closing the match by winning the final five racks in a row.

Adis Hodzic entertained fans by potting two fluke shots in a row, but his momentum did not last long. Former world champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz took control, delivering a ruthless four-pack on his way to a 9–0 win.

Elsewhere, Bosnian Sanjin Pehlivanovic survived an opening-round scare to beat Qeis Mansoor 9–7 on home turf, much to the relief of the local star.

Day 3

Day 3 was when things really started to heat up at the Roobet European Open, with the players bringing their A-game.

Joshua Filler's pursuit of back-to-back European Open titles gathered momentum as he dispatched local player Admir Mujagic 10–2. Despite the dominant scoreline, the defending champion admitted, 'I actually had a bit of a tough time out there.'

'The Panda' Mario He defeated Hamza Al Awaidi 10–5, while Mosconi Cup MVP Moritz Neuhausen booked his spot in the next round, although it was not pretty.

Other results saw Eklent Kaçi, 'The Golden Eagle' from Albania, beat Liam Monk 10–2, while world junior champion Mika Van Berkel crushed fellow countryman Sonny Haegmans 10–3.

Day 4

With the tournament down to the last 64, Friday promised to be a huge day, and it delivered.

In a shocking turn of events, world No. 1 Fedor Gorst crumbled against Finland's Arseni Sevastyanov, losing 10–6. Gorst was not the only big exit: 2022 European Open champion Albin Ouschan, former world champion Niels Feijen, and hometown favourite Sanjin Pehlivanovic all crashed out.

Defending champion Joshua Filler looked particularly formidable on Day 4, dispatching Ernesto Gjoni and Yannick Pongers in convincing fashion.

Day 5

Day 5 kicked off with the Round of 16 early in the day, followed by the quarterfinals later that evening.

Filler powered into his second consecutive European Open semifinal with two impressive victories, edging past 19-year-old Dutch rising star Mika Van Berkel 10–8 before defeating Syria's Mohammad Soufi in the quarterfinals.

Eklent Kaçi beat Can Salim before defeating his younger brother, Kledio Kaçi, 10–8. Mosconi Cup MVP Moritz Neuhausen first beat 'The Sniper' Robbie Capito 10–7 before overcoming 'The Martian' Duong Quoc Hoang in a dramatic hill-hill battle.

Lastly, 'The Panda' Mario He produced two strong performances, defeating Arseni Sevastyanov before overcoming Oliver Szolnoki to book his place in the last four.

By the time play finally wrapped in the early hours of Sunday morning, the stage was set for a finals day that promised even more drama.

Day 6: Finals Day

The sun was shining on Day 6 of the Roobet European Open Pool Championship. Tension and hope were in the air as the day kicked off with Moritz Neuhausen vs. Eklent Kaçi.

Semifinal: Moritz Neuhausen vs. Eklent Kaçi

Although Kaçi started strongly, he never truly found his rhythm. Small errors allowed Neuhausen to seize control and race into an 8–3 lead. From there, the match grew even more intriguing, with snookers and chip shots filling nearly every rack.

But it was Neuhausen who came out on top, 11–5, as Kaçi faltered at the final hurdle.

Semifinal: Mario He vs. Joshua Filler

The second semifinal proved to be a tighter contest, but once again small mistakes were decisive. This time it was Mario He who capitalised, punishing 2025 champion Joshua Filler's rare errors.

Filler threatened a late comeback, but at 10–8 it became clear the momentum was with the Austrian. A commanding final rack from 'The Panda' meant Filler did not even get the chance to return to the table. The result shocked fans and marked a major upset for the German, who had looked in formidable form heading into the semifinal.

Final: Mario He vs. Moritz Neuhausen

At 7:30 p.m. local time, Mario He took on Moritz Neuhausen in the Roobet European Open final.

He broke first and cleared the opening rack without error. Moments later, it was 7–2 to 'The Panda', and it almost looked as if the match was already decided. But the final had an epic twist in store.

A small mistake from He in the 11th rack allowed Neuhausen to pull it back to 7–3, and he did not stop there. Neuhausen went on a stunning run, leaving 'The Panda' without a shot for six racks and barely a chance for the rest of the match.

At 12–7 down, He missed a difficult shot and gave the German another chance. The crowd knew that the opportunity had gifted Neuhausen the title.

The German calmly slotted the final three balls and jumped onto the table to rapturous applause. It was a masterful performance from the 22-year-old Neuhausen. Mario He barely put a foot wrong in the final, but it is almost impossible to compete against perfection.

The Roobet European Open Pool Championship

So that wraps it up. What an electric competition, brought to fans by WNT and chief commercial partner Roobet, the online crypto casino.

Players, fuelled by ćevapi, the national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the country's famously strong coffee, brought their best.

While the competition was fierce and no player left anything on the table, the atmosphere in and out of the arena was incredibly friendly. Great sportsmanship, thrilling pool, and players celebrating birthdays with their rivals show why the Roobet European Open Pool Championship, and the WNT, are so special.

The European Open is only getting bigger and better. Full credit to the WNT team, and congratulations to the winner, Moritz Neuhausen.