Duy Luong Writes

Singaporean sharpshooter Aloysius Yapp spoke out on his preparation and ambition ahead of the UK Open Pool Championship 2026. Aloysius Yapp heads to the UK Open in Brentwood with a whole different status compared to last year. He returns this time with a bounty on his head as the title defender after defeating Jonas Souto 13-1 in the final in Telford last May. The Triple Crown winner, the UK Open is just one of three major championships he collected last year after winning the Florida Open and the US Open later in 2025. But Aloysius Yapp surely will not rest on his laurels. Yapp said: “It's a new event anyway, it's always a new tournament, even though I won it last year. Everyone's playing really well, so I know I have to stay focused and just do my best and really just hope luck is on my side.” He is not wrong when he calls this year’s UK Open a brand new event. The major championship heads down south to Brentwood, less than an hour away from the hustle and bustle of Londo...

The UK Open Pool Championship has firmly established itself as a crown jewel of the World Nineball Tour.  While the fifth edition of the tournament in Brentwood naturally draws global icons like Joshua Filler and Aloysius Yapp, its true magic lies in its open format. It is a unique battleground where local amateur players can rub shoulders, trade racks and go toe-to-toe with the absolute elite of the sport.  For London-based Oliver Lawrence, returning to the UK Open was an opportunity to fulfil his passion and showcase his confidence. “I just like competing in good events. And there aren’t many in the UK, so it’s nice to play on proper conditions,” Lawrence explained. “I look forward to playing against the top players. I’ve played for the last few years and competed against some of the best already, but I want to keep competing and trying against them.” That ambition manifested a dream draw. Lawrence was given a special opportunity to play against the UK’s number 1 pool player...