HISTORIC AFTERNOON SEES DEFENDING CHAMPION OUT OF WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

Defending champion Shane Van Boening has been knocked out of the World Pool Championship 2023 by Vietnam’s Duong Quoc Hoang in Kielce, Poland at the Last 16 stage live on Sky Sports, Viaplay, DAZN, Matchroom.Live and TV networks worldwide.

Van Boening started the day looking to replicate what only Earl Strickland has done before by successfully defending his title but Hoang had other ideas as his dream week continued. Hoang put Van Boening under the gun early doors to lead 4-1 and leave the five-time US Open champion reeling. A timely break and run for Van Boening in the 12th brought him level at 6-6 but it was short-lived as the pair traded blows to the very end at hill-hill. Van Boening struggled to take control with six balls left on the table blowing it open for Hoang to step in and complete a memorable win.

Only eight remain going into the evening session of which six have never lifted the world title before. Two who will be looking for a slice of history are Albin Ouschan, who beat Mateusz Sniegocki convincingly 11-3 as he looks to claim a historic third world title whilst Niels Feijen beat rising star Aleksa Pecelj 11-4 in the Terminators hunt for a second world title.

Nineball World No.1 got the better of Denis Grabe 11-8 whilst Chang Jung-Lin downed another home favourite in Wiktor Zielinski meaning no Polish players made the last eight. That being after Sebastian Batkowski lost heartbreakingly hill-hill to Mohammad Soufi of Syria. US Open runner-up Max Lechner’s run was ended at the hands of Chinese Taipei’s Wu Kun Lin meanwhile.

The evening action begins from 6:30pm (CET) where only four can progress to the final day of action tomorrow. See the action live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, Viaplay in Poland, Scandinavia, the Baltics, and the Netherlands, DAZN in the USA and Italy as well as on Matchroom.Live and broadcasters worldwide. Table 2 and Table 3 are on the Matchroom Pool and Multi Sport YouTube Channels respectively and Viaplay in above listed territories. See where to watch here.

Saturday 4, February 6:30 pm (CET) – Quarter-Finals

Table 1

6:30pm – Albin Ouschan (AUT) vs Mohammad Soufi (SYR)

Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP) vs Chang Jung-Lin (TPE)

Table 2

Duong Quoc Hoang (VIE) vs Wu Kun Lin (TPE)

Table 3

Mario He (AUT) vs Neils Feijen (NED)