VAN BOENING COMPLETES HIS FLORIDA REDEMPTION TO CLAIM THE CROWN | 2026 FLORIDA OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP

Shane Van Boening completed his Florida redemption mission in emphatic fashion, defeating Alexander Kazakis 13-5 to be crowned Florida Open champion and finally claim the title that had eluded him one year ago.

The five-time US Open champion returned to the Caribe Royale Resort for a second consecutive Florida Open final and this time made no mistake, producing a composed and commanding performance to finally get his hands on the title and add another major trophy to his illustrious collection.

Van Boening said: “I played great pool all week and I came here ready to win this tournament. After I beat Josh in the Last 16, I knew I had a real chance to go all the way. From that point, I just stayed focused and trusted my game.

“This is huge motivation going into the rest of the month. There’s a lot of pool coming up and I want to keep this momentum going. If I can win one Major, I believe I can win them all — including my sixth US Open.”

Final
Shane Van Boening 13 – 5 Alexander Kazakis

Van Boening made the perfect start to the final, taking the opening two racks before Kazakis responded in the third to threaten an early fightback.

The American, however, immediately restored his advantage. A failed safety from Kazakis in the fourth rack handed Van Boening an opportunity, which he duly converted to move 3-1 ahead before continuing to apply the pressure.

Kazakis was handed another opening in the eighth rack when Van Boening missed the 3-ball, allowing the Greek to return to the table. A crucial bank shot kept the rack alive before Kazakis completed the clearance to reduce the deficit to 5-3.

Van Boening responded immediately. At 6-3, he produced a spectacular jump shot to escape a Kazakis safety before running out to extend his advantage once again. Kazakis continued to battle and was presented with another chance at 8-3, only to see his hopes of closing the gap disappear after a costly missed 9-ball. Van Boening punished the error to move within four racks of victory at 9-3.

The Greek refused to surrender, snapping off the next rack after Van Boening’s defensive attempt came up short. But Kazakis’ momentum was short-lived as a dry break in the following rack handed control straight back to the American, who wasted no time in extending his lead.

Van Boening surged to 11-4 before Kazakis fought for another opening, escaping a safety attempt to claim his fifth rack of the final.

The pair then engaged in a tense safety exchange, with Kazakis eventually attempting a long bank on the 7-ball. The ball caught the edge of the pocket but failed to drop, leaving Van Boening with the opportunity to move to the hill.

One rack later, Van Boening delivered the perfect finish. The American calmly completed the final break-and-run to seal a 13-5 victory and finally get his hands on the Florida Open crown.

Van Boening added: “I felt like I should have won this tournament one year ago. I learnt from those mistakes and came back with one goal — redemption. To reach the final again was special, but to finally win it today means a lot to me.

Earlier in the day, Van Boening produced another impressive performance to defeat Eklent Kaçi 11-6 in the semi-final, completing a remarkable run to the title that saw him overcome four former World Champions on his way to the final.

The victory sees Van Boening collect the $40,000 top prize and a major haul of World Nineball Tour ranking points, while also moving him to the top of the Team USA rankings with the 2026 Mosconi Cup now firmly in his sights.

For Van Boening, the triumph represents the completion of a redemption story that began with his defeat in the previous Florida Open final. A year on, the American returned to the same stage and left the Caribe Royale Resort as champion.

The second edition of the Florida Open Pool Championship took place at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando from 4–9 August, bringing six days of world-class nine-ball action to Florida as part of the World Nineball Tour’s August USA Swing.

NEXT MATCHROOM MAJOR
The World Nineball Tour now heads to Yuma, Arizona for the inaugural Arizona Open Pool Championship – the newest Matchroom Major on Tour. A 128-player field will compete in a single-elimination format for a $125,000 prize fund from 13–16 August at Quechan Casino Resort.

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