GRABE MAKES HISTORY TO CLAIM INAUGURAL ARIZONA OPEN CROWN | 2026 ARIZONA OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP

Denis Grabe made history in Yuma, defeating Aleksa Pecelj 13-5 to be crowned the inaugural Arizona Open Pool Champion and claim his first Matchroom Major title.

The Estonian produced a stunning run through a brutal single-elimination 128-player field at Quechan Casino Resort, overcoming some of the World Nineball Tour’s toughest competition to become the first player to lift the Cactus Trophy.

Grabe said: “It feels unbelievable. I’ve been dreaming about this moment for a long time — winning my first Major title on Tour. I’ve been knocking on the door for a long time, and it feels amazing that all the hard work has finally paid off. This has been my week. I played well, stayed focused and now I’m the champion.

“I was inspired last week watching my friend Alex [Kazakis] reach the final in Florida. I wanted to do the same, but go one better. I played solid throughout this week and had a really tough run of opponents, but I stood my ground and got the job done in every match.

“I think I really thrive in these single-elimination events. You have to be ready from the first match, and I love that pressure.”

Final
Denis Grabe 13 – 5 Aleksa Pecelj

The pair exchanged the opening two racks before Grabe seized control in the third, building an early 4-1 advantage. Pecelj responded when a missed 9-ball from the Estonian handed him an opportunity to cut the deficit, but Grabe quickly restored his advantage. A scratch from Pecelj in the following rack allowed Grabe back to the table, with the Estonian then producing a golden break in the eighth before a 4-9 combination in the ninth extended his lead to 7-2.

Grabe continued to apply the pressure, winning the next two racks to move 9-2 ahead. Pecelj refused to surrender, however, capitalising on a dry break before surviving a tense safety exchange to bring the deficit back to 9-4. The Serbian’s fightback was halted in the following rack as Grabe escaped a safety on the 2-ball with a perfectly judged jump shot before clearing the table to restore his control.

Grabe then surged to the hill at 12-4, leaving himself just one rack away from his first Major title. Pecelj continued to battle and claimed another rack after Grabe’s failed safety attempt on the 3-ball, but his hopes of another comeback were ended in the following rack. A dry break from Pecelj handed Grabe the opportunity he needed, and the Estonian calmly cleared the table to seal a 13-5 victory and write his name into the history books as the first Arizona Open champion.

The victory earns Grabe his first Matchroom Major title, a $25,000 top prize and a significant haul of World Nineball Tour ranking points as he continues his push for a place on Team Europe at this year’s Mosconi Cup.

Earlier in the day, Grabe defeated Jefrey Roda 11-8 to reach his first Matchroom Major final, completing a remarkable run that also saw him overcome Jesus Atencio, former European Open champion Mickey Krause and World No.1 Aloysius Yapp.

Grabe added: “I want to keep this form going now. I know I can win more titles in my career, and hopefully this is just the beginning.

“US Open is next, and winning that would be a dream. I’m going to enjoy this one first, but then I’ll be ready to go again.”

The 2026 Arizona Open Pool Championship took place from 13-16 August at Quechan Casino Resort, with 128 of the world’s best competing in a straight knockout format as part of the World Nineball Tour’s August USA Swing.

NEXT MATCHROOM MAJOR

The World Nineball Tour now heads to Texas for the 49th edition of the US Open Pool Championship, taking place at Embassy Suites in Frisco from 25-30 August. A 256-player field will compete for a $500,000 prize fund and the prestigious Barry Behrman Trophy.

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