FILLER CONTINUES DOMINANT RUN AS LECHNER SUFFERS SHOCK DEFEAT | 2026 ROOBET EUROPEAN OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
Defending champion Joshua Filler continued his strong title defence on Day Three, cruising into the Last 64, while Austrian star Max Lechner suffered a shock early exit at the 2026 Roobet European Open Pool Championship.
Taking place in the heart of Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, the 2026 Roobet European Open Pool Championship returns for its fifth edition at the iconic Hotel Hills from 10–15 March, bringing six days of non-stop nine-ball action on the World Nineball Tour.
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Joshua Filler’s pursuit of back-to-back European Open titles gathered momentum as the German star dispatched local player Admir Mujagic 10–2 to secure his place in the Last 64. Despite the dominant scoreline, the defending champion admitted conditions were far from straightforward.
Filler said: “I actually had a bit of a tough time out there. The speed of the table felt tricky and my break didn’t really work the way I wanted. I tried to build some momentum by taking on a few tough shots, but some of them didn’t drop. In the end it’s all about getting the win. From now on I know I’ll need to play even better if I want to defend the title.”
One of the biggest surprises of the day came with the early elimination of Austria’s Max Lechner, who was defeated 10–7 by Germany’s Hermann Hoyh in a dramatic contest.
Reflecting on the loss, Lechner said: “The match started pretty badly for me. My opponent played well early on and had a few good rolls to go 4–0 ahead. After that he missed a fairly easy seven ball which brought me back into the match, and until 7–4 for me I felt like I was in control with a couple of good runouts.
“But then I missed a nine ball and followed it with a missed three in the next rack, which gave him the chance to come back. From that moment he didn’t leave me anything easy. Credit to him for finishing the match strongly, but it’s something I have to learn from and do better next time.”
Fellow Austrian and 2022 European Open champion Albin Ouschan enjoyed a far smoother passage, producing a clinical 10–3 victory over Portugal’s Diogo Soares to keep his hopes of reclaiming the title alive.
Ouschan said: “That was pretty close to a perfect match for me. The conditions here are really nice and the cloth is playing very well. It suits my stroke and my style, so I feel very comfortable on the table. With winner’s break nine-ball you never really know what can happen because everyone in the field is dangerous, but I feel ready for whatever comes next.”
World No.1 Fedor Gorst also maintained his impressive form in Sarajevo, easing past Germany’s Frank Wagenmann 10–1 to book his place in the Last 64 as he continues his hunt of a maiden European Open crown.
Gorst said: “It wasn’t a perfect match — we both made quite a few mistakes — but I’m happy to get the win. Tomorrow is another day and if I keep winning I’ll have multiple matches, so rest is important. Every day the table can play a little differently, so it’s important to keep adjusting to the speed. Hopefully I’ll play even better tomorrow.”
With the Last 64 now set, the intensity ramps up as the tour’s elite players go head-to-head in high-stakes battles, each match bringing them one step closer to lifting the European Open trophy.
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