Fedor Gorst, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and Joshua Filler remain in the hunt for a second US Open title after surviving a dramatic Day Four in Frisco, while defending champion Aloysius Yapp, reigning World Champion Carlo Biado and five-time champion Shane Van Boening all crashed out as the 2026 US Open was cut down to its final eight.
Marking the 49th edition of the historic tournament, the 2026 US Open Pool Championship takes place at Embassy Suites in Frisco, Texas from 25–30 August, bringing six days of world-class nine-ball action as a 256-player field competes for the prestigious Barry Behrman US Open Trophy, with the tournament showcased live on ESPN+ and WNT TV.
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Shane Van Boening’s pursuit of a historic sixth US Open title came to a bitter end in the Last 32 as 2024 champion Fedor Gorst repeated his success from the 2024 final, defeating the American 10-7 in one of the standout clashes of the day.
Van Boening had earlier battled past Michael Boanan 10-6 before Gorst brought his title challenge to an end, having already defeated Poland’s Dominik Jastrzab and John Morra on his route to the quarterfinals.
Gorst said: “Today was tough. I’m battling a sickness, so it definitely feels harder than usual. I knew going up against Shane was going to be brutal. The last two times we’ve played here I’ve managed to get the better of him, but he showed early on that he could easily have won today.
“I actually said before the match that if I lost, I would be rooting for Shane to get his sixth title. But it didn’t go that way. I’m happy to get the win, especially with how tough the match was.
“Now I’m back in the quarterfinals for a fourth year in a row and I’m hungry to go all the way again. Tomorrow won’t be easy, but I’m going to rest, hopefully feel better and give myself the best chance of going all the way.”
The defending champion Aloysius Yapp and reigning World Champion Carlo Biado also saw their title campaigns come to an end in the Last 64, with David Alcaide and six-time World Pool Masters champion Ralf Souquet respectively ending their hopes in Frisco.
For Yapp, the defeat marked the end of his third consecutive title defence campaign after his remarkable 2025 season saw him claim three Matchroom Majors.
Yapp said: “David is a great player and I knew coming in that I had to bring my A-game. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case today and I paid the price.
“I’ve definitely felt the pressure of being the defending champion over the last few events, alongside being World No.1. I’ve also been adjusting to new equipment and haven’t felt as confident as I would like.
“But that’s nine-ball. Now it’s time to reset, get back to practising and work on getting my confidence back. I want to stay at the top.”
Alcaide backed up his victory over the World No.1 by securing his place in the quarterfinals, overcoming Chang Yu Lung and Jayson Shaw to complete a gruelling three-match run.
Alcaide commented: “It’s been a long day with three really tough matches, but I feel so good now. In my first match my break wasn’t working, but by the end of the day I felt it had improved a lot.
“I feel like I’ve improved with every match and become more confident after every win. I don’t want to think about winning the title just yet, but of course it would be special.
“I remember seeing my friend Francisco win it in 2022 and how special that was for him. I would love to experience that feeling myself.”
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz joined his fellow Spaniard in the final eight after producing a strong response following his early struggles in the tournament, defeating Sun Yi Hsuan, Petri Makkonen and Alexander Kazakis to move within three wins of a second US Open crown.
Ruiz said: “It’s been a grind today, but I feel great. After falling into the Losers’ side, I said I was going to give everything I had and I feel like I’ve bounced back well.
“I’m really happy with how I played. There are still things I need to improve, and the next three matches are going to be tough. Josh is next and I know I’ll need to be ready if I want to win this title again.”
Alongside Gorst and Ruiz in the hunt for a second US Open title is two-time UK Open champion Joshua Filler, who battled through three tough encounters against Stephen Holem, Albert Januarta and Chris Melling to book his place in the quarterfinals.
Filler said: “Today was definitely the toughest day. Once single elimination starts, you know you have to stay focused because one mistake can send you home.
“I think having the big crowd around me helps. I feel more energised and, honestly, I think I played my best pool of the month today. Albert was probably my toughest match because he played really well, so getting through that gave me a lot of confidence. Against Chris, I got the lead early and just kept the pressure on.
“Winning the title for a second time would be really special. You see players like Shane and Earl winning it five times and it inspires you to try and do the same. It’s been seven years since I last won it, so it feels like it’s about time I won it again.”
With the final eight now confirmed, the race for the 2026 US Open title enters its decisive stage tomorrow. Four quarterfinals will be played before only two players remain standing at the end of the day, setting up Sunday’s final and the crowning of a new US Open champion.
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