Sanjin Pehlivanovic will be savouring a ‘once-in-a-lifetime experience’ this March as the European Open Pool Championship heads to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina for its fourth edition.
This year’s stagings of both the European Open Championship and Premier League Pool will be held in the Bosnian capital between March 11-27 as the World Nineball Tour breaks into the Balkans.
A total of 256 players will be competing for the $40,000 top prize as the European Open moves to the Hotel Hills in Sarajevo following a successful two-year stint in Fulda, Germany, before the 16-player invitational Premier League takes place afterwards.
Pehlivanovic, the current world number 39 and a former Hanoi Open and Premier League semi-finalist, will become the latest player to experience a WNT event in their country in front of a home crowd.
The 23-year-old could barely hold back his excitement, saying: “The first thing that comes to mind is that I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself, but I can’t deny that winning this event in my home city would be incredible.”
He added: “Playing in front of my home crowd is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m fully focused on delivering my best performance to hopefully bring the European crown home.”
The European Open will be backed by the Ministry of Culture and Sports for Sarajevo, with their minister Kenan Megoda adding: “I am proud that Sarajevo will host this tournament for the first time, welcoming the world’s best players and showcasing the quality of this competition.
“This is a major step forward for our city and for Sanjin’s career, allowing him to compete at the highest level in front of his home crowd. The Ministry of Culture and Sports of Sarajevo Canton is pleased to support both Sanjin and Matchroom in bringing this elite event to Sarajevo. I commend Matchroom and Emily Frazer for their dedication in making it happen.”
Emily Frazer, the boss of Matchroom Pool, commented: “The European Open has rapidly become one of the premier events on the World Nineball Tour and we’re thrilled to bring it to the stunning city of Sarajevo.
“Expanding into Bosnia and Herzegovina marks a significant step in our commitment to growing the sport globally and introducing Nineball to new audiences. With both the European Open and Premier League Pool taking centre stage this March, Sarajevo will become a true hotspot for world-class pool, and we can’t wait to experience the passion and energy of the fans.”
Further information regarding both the European Open Championship and the Premier League will be released in due course. Both events will be broadcast on WNT TV, while the final two days of the European Open will be shown on Sky Sports.
