PREVIEW: MICHIGAN OPEN PRESENTED BY SAMSUNG TV PLUS
The latest stop on the Predator Pro Billiard Series brings the world’s best pool players to Battle Creek, Michigan as the series returns to the Kellogg Arena for the third Michigan Open presented by Samsung TV Plus, which begins September 20.
Played alongside the CSI Leagues Michigan State Championships, the Michigan Open presented by Samsung TV plus has a 64-player Men’s Open running until September 23 and a 48-player Women’s Open which finishes September 24.
Men’s Open
In the Men’s Open, Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp, a serial winner at the Kellogg Arena, is looking to extend his run to three in three in Battle Creek, MI. He defeated Filipino Roberto Gomez 4-0, 4-2 in the event’s first staging two years ago and retrained his title last year, beating Robbie Capito of Hong Kong 4-2, 4-1 in the final.
The event is symbolic of the rapid growth of the Predator Pro Billiard Series. Just two years ago, Yapp took home $12,000 for his win at the first Michigan Open. That prize jumped to $20,000 12 months later when the Singaporean received his second Battle Creek check. This year, the winner is set to earn $22,500 from a total prize fund of $75,000 (of which almost $50,000 is added).
While Yapp will be looking to complete an unprecedented Predator Pro Billiard Series hat-trick, he’ll have tough competition from a world-class international field of competitors, including Fedor Gorst, who will be hoping to add to his three previous PBS titles – a record tally which could be matched by Yapp should the 27-year-old complete his treble in the Great Lakes State.
Other previous title winners competing in Michigan include Poland’s Witkor Zielinski as well as Alex Kazakis and Dimitris Loukatos, both of Greece.
Women’s Open
In the Women’s Open, Great Britain’s Kelly Fisher will be looking to defend her title while at the same time re-asserting her dominance on the Predator Pro Billiard Series.
Fisher, a multiple world champion in both pool and snooker, won three of the first four Pro Billiard Series Women’s Opens. However, since her win in Michigan last September completed Fisher’s dominance over the first 12 months of the series, some of Asia’s best players have come to the fore.
Wei Tzu-Chien took the Puerto Rico Open last November, and the first two stops of 2023 have been won by Seo Seoa in Las Vegas, and Chieh-Yu Chou in Wisconsin. All three will be competing in Michigan. Also entered is Germany’s Pia Filler, who recently took bronze at the China Open, Austria’s Jasmin Ouschan and the Duchess of Doom, Allison Fisher.
The 48-player Women’s Open runs September 20-24 and has a total prize fund of $60,000, with the champion to earn $18,000.
Both Opens have a double elimination format in Stage 1, and a single elimination format for Stage 2 (last 16 players). Matches in Stage 1 are best of two sets, race to 4 each set, with a shootout to determine the winner when the score in sets is tied 1-1. A third set is played during Stage 2, with a shootout determining the winner when the set score is tied 1-1 and the score in the third set is tied 3-3.
Where to watch
Fans can watch table 1 matches live, for free on the World Billiard TV YouTube channel. Fans can also watch live on Billiard TV (https://streamstak.com/billiardtv/), which is available on many platforms including Samsung TV Plus.
The Michigan Open presented by Samsung TV Plus is the third stop of the year for the Predator Pro Billiard Series. The Series will host three WPA World Championship events in Austria in October; The Predator WPA World 8-Ball Men’s Championship, Predator WPA World 10-Ball Women’s Championship and Predator WPA World 10-Ball Junior Championships. The year ends in San Juan, Puerto Rico with the Medalla Light Puerto Rico Men’s and Women’s Opens and the WPA World Teams Championship.
The Michigan Open presented by Samsung TV Plus is played alongside the CSI Leagues Michigan State Championships. The tournament will be played on 9-foot Predator Apex Pool Tables with Predator Arcadia Reserve Performance Cloth and Predator Arcos II Balls.
The Predator Pro Billiard Series is partnered by CSI, BCA Pool Leagues, Kamui, Medalla Light and Rums of Puerto Rico.
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