RUIZ AND CAPITO SET FOR EPIC US OPEN FINAL LIVE ON ESPN2 | 2026 US OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and Robbie Capito will battle it out for US Open glory tomorrow, with Ruiz chasing a historic second crown and Capito bidding to become the latest first-time champion as the 2026 US Open reaches its grand finale in Frisco, Texas.
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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Francisco Sanchez Ruiz booked his place in a second US Open final after surviving two heavyweight clashes with former champion Joshua Filler and fellow Spaniard David Alcaide, moving one victory away from joining the exclusive list of multiple US Open champions.
Ruiz’s route to the final began with a dramatic battle against Filler, with the German reaching the hill first at 9-7. A dry break, however, handed Ruiz the opportunity he needed, as the Spaniard cleared the final two racks to complete a remarkable comeback and seal his place in the semi-final.
Ruiz then faced Alcaide in an all-Spanish showdown, with the pair exchanging racks early on before Ruiz found another gear in the second half of the match to pull away and secure a 10-6 victory.
Reflecting on his return to the US Open final, Ruiz said: “I’m so happy to be in the final. I had a really tough battle against Josh and had to give everything I had. He’s a great player, maybe even the best in the world, so getting that win gave me a lot of momentum.
“I’ve played David so many times throughout my career, but never against him in a Major like this. It’s never nice beating your friend, but that’s sport. He played great and that bank shot to make it 2-2 was incredible. He’s such a great player, and if I had to lose to anyone, I’d be rooting for him.
“Tomorrow is a huge day. Reaching the final of the biggest tournament of the year is an achievement in itself, but I’m feeling good. I’m breaking well and if I can maintain that, I believe I can become a two-time champion.”
Standing between Ruiz and a second US Open crown is Robbie Capito, who continued his remarkable run through the tournament by defeating 2024 champion Fedor Gorst 10-8 in the quarterfinals.
The victory extended Capito’s extraordinary record against Gorst, marking the sixth consecutive time the Filipino has defeated the former World No.1 on the World Nineball Tour.
Capito then produced another composed display against recently crowned Phoenix Open champion Aleksa Pecelj, overcoming the Serbian 10-5 to reach his second Matchroom Major final.
Capito said: “It’s overwhelming to be in the US Open final. It means so much to me and shows that all the hard work is paying off.
“Even though I’ve beaten Gorst a few times before on Tour, I knew it was going to be a battle. He had the crowd behind him throughout, so I just stayed focused and got the job done.
“Same against Aleksa. He’s been playing really well recently and even when I was 7-0 up, I knew he could come back if I gave him a chance. I just had to stay focused and keep doing what I was doing.
“Now there’s one more match between me and another Major title. If I play my best, I believe no one can beat me. No one can take that title away from me.”
Ruiz and Capito will now go head-to-head for the 2026 US Open crown, with the Spaniard looking to become just the tenth player in history to win the prestigious title multiple times, while Capito aims to write his name into the US Open history books with a maiden crown.
The US Open final gets underway at 4pm CDT tomorrow, live on ESPN2 and WNT TV, as two players stand one victory away from lifting the Barry Behrman US Open Trophy.
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