GORST FORCED INTO SURVIVAL MODE AS YAPP AND FILLER DOMINATE | 2026 UK OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP

World No.1 Fedor Gorst suffered a shock opening-round defeat, while defending champion Aloysius Yapp and former UK Open winner Joshua Filler laid down early markers with dominant victories on day one of the 2026 UK Open Pool Championship.

The fifth edition of the UK Open Pool Championship returns to the Brentwood Centre from 26–31 May, bringing six days of world-class nine-ball action and drama on the World Nineball Tour as the sport’s biggest stars battle it out for one of the calendar’s most prestigious Open titles.

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Fedor Gorst endured a nightmare start to his campaign after former junior champion Khalid Alghamdi produced one of the biggest upsets of the opening day. The World No.1 struggled to find his rhythm early on, with costly errors allowing Alghamdi to storm into a seven-rack lead.

Gorst attempted to claw his way back into contention, narrowing the deficit to 8-6, but a crucial miss on the 7-ball proved decisive as Alghamdi closed out a memorable victory to send the Gorst into the Losers’ Bracket.

Reflecting on his opening defeat, Gorst said: “He played really well today — he deserved the win. I made too many mistakes early in the match and against players at this level you get punished for that. I tried to fight my way back and give myself a chance, but I missed at the wrong moment.”

“Of course it’s not the start I wanted, but this tournament is far from over. There’s a long way to go but I’ll be ready for the next match.”

One of the most anticipated matches of Day One saw former World Champions Joshua Filler and Darren Appleton face off, with the German producing a ruthless display to defeat the home favourite 9-1.

Filler said: “Darren is a good friend of mine, so it’s never easy playing someone you respect so much. But once the match starts, you have to stay focused and do your job. I thought I played really solid today and I’m happy with how I handled the match.”

“My confidence feels good this week. Since getting a table at home I’ve been practicing every day and I feel sharp. I’ve won this title before and I’d love to do it again.”

Defending champion Aloysius Yapp also made an emphatic start to his title defence, whitewashing Britain’s Andrew Olivero 9-0 to move safely through to the next stage.

Despite the dominant scoreline, Yapp remained critical of his own performance. Yapp said: “The score looks great, but honestly I still feel there’s a lot I can improve on. I made more mistakes than I would’ve liked and against tougher opponents those mistakes can cost you.”

“Still, I’m happy to get through my opening match. Defending a title is never easy and I’d love to become the first player to defend an Open title back-to-back on the Tour. Winning here last year was a special moment for me, so it would mean a lot to do it again.”

Elsewhere, Matchroom Sport President Barry Hearn OBE may have fallen 9-3 to Petri Makkonen, but the 77-year-old was all smiles after an entertaining opening appearance in Brentwood.

Hearn said: “I absolutely love this game. People think pool is just about potting balls, but the level these players perform at is phenomenal. To win three racks against someone of Petri’s quality, I’ll take that every day of the week.”

“I turn 78 next week and I was thinking about retiring from pool — but after today I think I’ll give it another couple of years! The beauty of this event is how global it is. We’ve got over 50 nationalities represented here this week and that’s what makes this sport so special. It’s open to all.”

The action continues tomorrow as World No.1 Fedor Gorst battles to keep his UK Open hopes alive in the elimination stages, while defending champion Aloysius Yapp continues his quest to become the first player to successfully defend a UK Open title. Former champions Joshua Filler, Eklent Kaçi, and Robbie Capito will also have their sights firmly set on reclaiming the prestigious crown, as the race for the 2026 UK Open Pool Championship begins to intensify in Brentwood.

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