Neuhausen Crowned Champion at Matchroom Pool European Open

From Comeback King to European Champion, Germany’s Moritz Neuhausen takes the crown in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina for the European Open Pool Championship. Hosted by the World Nineball Tour, in a tournament that delivered drama, intensity, and a fitting grand award created by EFX. Held across six days of competition, the prestigious event brought together 256 of the world’s top players on the World Nineball Tour, the field was narrowed down through a demanding format, culminating in a high-stakes final.

In the championship match, Neuhausen secured his first major open title, with a stunning comeback performance winning 11 consecutive racks to defeat Austria’s Mario He 13–7. The German star showed remarkable composure and resilience, turning the match around in emphatic fashion. Neuhausen said of his competitor Mario He: “He played an amazing tournament. His recent results don’t really show how strong his game is. Today he played great and being 7–2 down was because of how well he controlled the table.

“Somehow everything turned around for me. I stayed patient, kept believing, and today the pool gods were definitely on my side.”

Lifting the championship trophy, the moment belonged entirely to Neuhausen, who lifted the title in front of a captivated crowd, marking a breakthrough achievement in his professional career. Speaking after the match, Neuhausen reflected on the significance of the win, describing it as a hard-fought and long-awaited milestone.

Reflecting on the biggest victory of his career, Neuhausen said: “This win feels different because it definitely wasn’t a gift. It was a really hard-fought battle and I feel very fortunate to come out on top. I’ve been chasing an Open title for a long time, but even with all the tough matches this week I always believed I had what it takes to win one. And now it’s finally happened.” 

The victory not only earned him the top prize but also solidified his growing status on the global stage.

The mindset of a champion, Neuhausen –  “I kept digging deep, taking it match by match and trying to stay focused. That mindset helped me get through the tough moments, and in the end it’s the reason I made it to the final — and the reason I’m standing here with the trophy.” And what a trophy it is. 

Seeing Stars

The mammoth trophy stands at a whopping 441mm tall, water-jet cut nickel plated solid aluminium ring on a solid aluminium plinth base with cleverly pierced out star detailing, revealing the 24ct gold plated aluminium back layer.  With the European Open branding laser engraved on the front for that luxury finish. The perfect size for Neuhausen to look through revealing the elation of winning!

The 2026 European Open once again highlighted Matchroom’s streamlined and professional approach, focusing on world-class competition and the crowning moment which EFX are so proud to create the mega trophies for. As the tournament concluded in Sarajevo, attention now turns to the next events on the World Nineball Tour, where Neuhausen will return not just as a contender, but as a newly crowned major champion.