After Shane van Boening was crowned Florida Open champion, nineball pool’s thrilling August action continues in the hot desert of Arizona.
The inaugural Arizona Open Pool Championship will not only bring the heat from the weather but also bring it to the table with the intense single elimination format for the $25,000 top prize.
Every player has to stay at the top of their game because it is win or go home at the Quechan Casino Resort, and best believe there will be tonnes of surprises.
Shane van Boening
Fresh off a dominating title run in Orlando, it is impossible to leave Shane Van Boening’s name off this list. One of the most decorated cueists in history will eye another major title to add to his collection.
The South Dakota Kid eliminated six major champions on his way to the Florida Open win, and it looks like he will have to do the same in Arizona. SVB’s possible road to the semi-finals could include a few former world champions in Albin Ouschan, Eklent Kaci and Carlo Biado. But if anyone can do it, it is Shane van Boening.
David Alcaide
David Alcaide is the reigning champion of the Philippines Open, Matchroom’s first single elimination major in 2025. Alcaide’s unyielding mentality and the willingness to fight for every rack are what make him so dangerous in this format.
El Matador would love to bounce back after an early last 64 defeat in Florida and get points on the board for the Mosconi Cup race.
Arseni Sevastyanov
Philippines Open breakout star Arseni Sevastyanov is going to be a tough competitor in the single elimination format with his fearless and speedy playstyle.
The Flash made it all the way to the final in Quezon City last year, only to be defeated by Alcaide. The 23-year-old star will be hungry for his first-ever major title after letting his first chance slip away last year.
AJ Manas
Starboy AJ Manas is playing phenomenal pool at the moment. He beat Max Lechner and Jayson Shaw on his way to the Florida Open last 16 and only bowed out to an amazing hill-hill comeback from Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, where Manas notably attempted an overly ambitious two-nine combination in the final rack.
The reigning Reyes Cup MVP will hope to replicate that form in Yuma, Arizona and make a charge for his first major win.
Joshua Filler
The most dominant and consistent player on tour this year is none other than Joshua Filler. Following a semi-final finish at the European Open Championship, he claimed a famous win at the UK Open Championship in Brentwood.
Expect The Killer to make another deep run at the Arizona Open this year, especially now he is playing with a chip on his shoulder after an early exit at the Florida Open against the eventual champion in Shane van Boening.
Jesus Atencio
It has been quite a start to the US tour for Jesus Atencio, making it all the way to the semi-finals of the Florida Open. Unfortunately, one single mistake cost him a ticket to the final against Alexander Kazakis.
Still, that was a massive platform for the Venezuelan to build on ahead of the Arizona Open. The fiery pride of LATAM, Jesus Atencio, will bring the heat to Yuma.
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
The decorated former world champion and US Open winner is back. Despite the loss to Shane van Boening in Florida, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz is playing his best pool since his golden world title years and looks so comfortable flying around the table.
El Ferrari will head to Arizona hoping to win his first major open title since the US Open in 2022 and solidify his Mosconi Cup spot.
Oliver Szolnoki
Oliver Szolnoki is nineball pool’s most underrated player on tour despite constantly achieving great results.
The Hungarian has had an outstanding year, racking up titles at the Estonian Open, the Scottish Open and the Bob Stocks Memorial. He is second on the European race to the Mosconi Cup, and a title in Arizona might seal his first-ever appearance.
Carlo Biado
Despite not consistently being on tour in the first half of the year, the Filipino legend arrives in Arizona as the second seed. He marked his return this year with a decent run in Florida before suffering a rather shocking defeat against young talent Albert Januarta.
However, it is impossible to overlook the experience, talent and class of a cueist of Carlo Biado’s calibre. The reigning world champion is coming with a bang.
Duong Quoc Hoang
Hoang Sao is definitely the player hungriest for an open major title on tour, especially after breaking the mental roadblock by winning the Premier League Pool in March.
The Vietnamese star displays incredible poise and rhythm in his playstyle, but lacks the roll of luck and often falls short in major tournaments. But the whole pool nation of Vietnam will be watching the Arizona Open hoping their catalyst can bring home the trophy.
