Pool 

Pijus Labutis lifts the 2025 Hà Nội Open Pool Championship trophy on October 12. Photos courtesy of Vietcontent

HÀ NỘI — Pijus Labutis finally realised his championship dream, capturing his first major title with a commanding 13-7 win over Moritz Neuhausen in a gripping final at the 2025 Hà Nội Open Pool Championship on October 12.

The Lithuanian finally wrote his name into World Nineball Tour (WNT) history with the long-awaited breakthrough after four previous semi-final appearances in major competitions.

For Labutis, the triumph marked the culmination of years of perseverance and near misses on the WNT, as he rose to join the sport’s elite before a packed and passionate Hà Nội crowd.

Reflecting on his win, Labutis said: “I’m shaking -- I can’t even describe how this feels. I’ve dreamed about this moment for so long, and to finally be here holding this trophy feels unreal. I played my heart out today, and I’m so proud of how I handled the pressure.”

The final began with Labutis taking control early after winning the lag, but German Neuhausen responded swiftly, capitalising on a rare error to string together three consecutive racks and take the lead. Both players exchanged tactical blows in the opening stages, with the score finely poised at 4-3 for Neuhausen after a tense safety battle in the seventh.

From there, Labutis found another gear. A daring escape in the eighth rack turned the momentum in his favour as he levelled the match before embarking on a blistering run of form. With ruthless composure, the Lithuanian strung together seven racks on the spin to storm ahead 10-4, leaving Neuhausen chasing shadows.

The German clawed back a few racks following a foul by Labutis, narrowing the deficit to 10-7, but a failed safety in the next proved costly. Labutis seized the opportunity, clearing the table and breaking and running his way to the hill.

Delivering one final textbook break, Labutis laid out the perfect roadmap to victory, dispatching the remaining balls to seal his long-awaited triumph.

“I’ve fallen short in a few semi-finals before, and it was hard to keep believing at times. But I told myself that if I kept working, my time would come, and today it did," he said. "My break was working, my confidence was high, and everything just came together. To win my first title here in Hà Nội, in front of such an amazing crowd, makes it even more special.

“I know I can compete with the best. I’ve always believed that. This victory proves it, and it’s just the beginning.”

After reaching the semi-finals at the 2023 Spanish Open, 2024 UK Open and 2025 European Open, Labutis’ breakthrough in Hà Nội marked the moment his persistence paid off, a defining milestone in his rise on the world stage. He walked away with a US$40,000 bonus.

One of the tournament’s standout stories came from Đinh Chấn Kiệt, who became the first Vietnamese player to qualify for the last-16 round.

He was not regarded as highly as fellow home hopes Dương Quốc Hoàng, Lường Đức Thiện and Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, who are already known internationally, but the former barber not only set a personal record, he also achieved Việt Nam’s best result in the WNT system.

Also on the final day, captain of the Asian team Francisco Bustamante selected reigning Scottish Open champion Hoàng as one of his squad members for the Reyes Cup 2025, which will take place from October 16-19 at the iconic Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

The Reyes Cup, returning for its second edition, is an annual nine-ball pool tournament contested between teams representing Asia and the Rest of the World.

In the junior event, which concluded on October 11, New Zealand’s Jack Beggs defeated Việt Nam’s Nguyễn Tiến Trung 9-7 in a nail-biting finale. The victory marked Beggs’ second junior title and a slice of WNT history, as he became the first player ever to win back-to-back Junior Open crowns.

Nguyến Tiến Trung, the 2025 Hà Nội Open Pool Championship's runner-up of Việt Nam.

Despite the loss, Trung made history by helping Việt Nam secure a representative in the Open final for the first time after two seasons.

The event attracted a talented field of juniors aged 17 and under from around the globe, all vying for a share of the $10,000 prize fund and a $2,500 winner’s purse while showcasing the next generation of nine-ball stars. VNS