U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships

The U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships is an annual professional men's nine-ball pool tournament that began in its current form in 1976, although previous versions of a "U.S. Open Nine-ball Tournament" had been held as early as 1970.[1] The U.S. Open is one of the most sought-after titles in nine-ball and in pool generally. Traditionally, winners of the U.S. Open are given a green blazer and are awarded free entry fees to all future U.S. Open tournaments.

Chesapeake Conference Center, site of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship from 1997 to 2011

The Women's U.S. Open is a separate event, sanctioned by the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA).

History

In its first edition in 1976, the U.S. Open was contested by just 16 players. Over the years, the number of participants steadily increased, reaching its current level of 256 players.[2]

The tournament is a male-only event, though it is otherwise a true "open" tournament, in that the only requirement is the payment of the entry fee, which was $1000 in 2015. The total purse for the tournament at that time was $200,000, where the winner was awarded $40,000.

Original U.S. Open promoter Barry Behrman (right) with Rob Sykora of Billiard Club Network (left) at the 2004 event.

The tournament's original venue was Q-Master Billiards pool hall, in Norfolk, Virginia, which hosted the event, other than one year, until 1988.[3] From 1997 to 2011, the U.S. Open Men's Division was held at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.[3] Q-Masters is still involved in the tournament.[4]

Original promoter Barry Behrman died on April 23, 2016. His children, Brady Behrman and Shannon Behrman Paschall, took over operating the tournament until 2018, when it was sold to Matchroom Sport, who moved it to Las Vegas.[5]

Women's tournament

Unlike the men's tournament, the U.S. Open is not a true "open" event. Each female player must qualify through the Women's Professional Billiard Association, the professional women's billiards tour based in the United States, in order to compete in this annual event.

Format

The tournament format is essentially double-elimination (a player is out of the tournament after losing two matches) until two players remain. Most professional pool "double-elimination" events, however, are not true double-elimination formats, where the player who reaches the finals from the loser's side has to defeat the winner's side player twice for the title. At the U.S. Open, matches are played in races to 11, with the winner breaking. However, the final match, as is customary with most professional nine-ball tournaments today, is one extended race. At the U.S. Open, the extended race in the finals is 13 games.

Past champions

Men

Year	Winner
2019	Joshua Filler
2018	Not played[6]
2017	Jayson Shaw
2016	Shane Van Boening (5)
2015	Cheng Yu-hsuan
2014	Shane Van Boening (4)
2013	Shane Van Boening (3)
2012	Shane Van Boening (2)
2011	Darren Appleton (2)
2010	Darren Appleton
2009	Mika Immonen (2)
2008	Mika Immonen
2007	Shane Van Boening
2006	John Schmidt
2005	Alex Pagulayan
2004	Gabe Owen
2003	Jeremy Jones
2002	Ralf Souquet
2001	Corey Deuel
2000	Earl Strickland (5)
1999	Johnny Archer
1998	Buddy Hall (2)
1997	Earl Strickland (4)
1996	Rodney Morris
1995	Reed Pierce
1994	Efren Reyes
1993	Earl Strickland (3)
1992	Tommy Kennedy
1991	Buddy Hall
1990	Nick Varner (2)
1989	Nick Varner
1988	Mike Lebrón
1987	Earl Strickland (2)
1986	David Howard (2)
1985	Jimmy Reid
1984	Earl Strickland
1983	Mike Sigel (3)
1982	David Howard
1981	Allen Hopkins (2)
1980	Mike Sigel (2)
1979	Louie Roberts
1978	Steve Mizerak
1977	Allen Hopkins
1976	Mike Sigel

Records

• Earl Strickland and Shane Van Boening, both of the U.S., share the record for winning the Men's U.S. Open the most times: five. Strickland in 1984, 1987, 1993, 1997, and 2000. Van Boening in 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016.[7]
• Van Boening holds the record for the most consecutive wins: three. (2012, 2013, 2014)
• Van Boening is the winner of the largest first-place prize ever offered at the event, $50,000, in 2007. Van Boening remained undefeated in the field of 233 players, beating Ronato Alcano 13–10 in the final.[8]
• The oldest pool player to ever win the men's tournament to date is Mike Lebrón of Puerto Rico, 54 years old at the time of his victory. The youngest are Mike Sigel of the U.S., and Joshua Filler of Germany, both aged 21.[9]

Women

Year	Winner
2012	Allison Fisher (6)[10][11]
2011	Allison Fisher[10][11]
2010	Ga-young Kim (3)[12]
2009	Ga-young Kim[12]
2008	Kelly Fisher[13]
2007	Allison Fisher[10][11]
2006	Allison Fisher[10][11]
2005	Allison Fisher[10][11]
2004	Ga-young Kim[12]
2003	Karen Corr[14]
2002	Helena Thornfeldt
1999	Allison Fisher[10][11]
1994	Jeanette Lee[15]
1992	Robin Bell
1991	Ewa Laurance[16]
1990	JoAnn Mason
1989	Loree Jon Jones
1988	Ewa Laurance (2)[16]

References

1. > U.S.Open 9-Ball Tournament > Arlington, Virginia | January 27 1970
2. Barry Behrman (July 7, 2011). "Statement From Barry Behrman and Shannon Berhman Paschall-Exclusive to AZB". AzBilliards.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
3. "History". USOpen9BallChampionships.com. Norfolk, VA: Q-Master Billiards. 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
4. "Contact". USOpen9BallChampionships.com. op. cit. 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
5. "History". USOpen9BallChampionships.com. Norfolk, VA: Q-Master Billiards. 2009. Missing or empty |url= (help)
6. http://www.matchroompool.com/usopenpool/#history
7. USOpen9BallChampionships.com Archived 2007-10-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 21 October 2007
8. "US Open Down to Final Four", BilliardsDigest.com, October 20, 2007. Retrieved October 21, 2007
9. "History of The U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships". U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships. Archived from the original on 2004-04-10. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
10. "WPBA's Top 5". Billiards Digest. Chicago, Illinois: Luby Publishing. 30 (3): 55. February 2008. ISSN 0164-761X.
11. Cuetec Cues US Open Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine, WPBA.com. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
12. "Player biographies (Ga Young Kim)". WPBA.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
13. "Player biographies (Kelly Fisher)". WPBA.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
14. "Player biographies (Karen Corr)". WPBA.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
15. "Player biographies (Jeanette Lee)". WPBA.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
16. "Player biographies (Ewa Laurance)". WPBA.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved 2009-09-06.

External links

• US Open official website