Belgian Billiards Brilliance from Hall

A bumper double-header of World Billiards action got underway at The Trickshot in Bruges this weekend as Rob Hall defeated Peter Gilchrist 794-198 in the final to win the 2023 Belgian Open. 

Featuring players representing eight different nations, this level 3 world ranking event precedes the European Open which will immediately follow at the same venue. 

A runner-up here last year, Hall went one better this time to add another world ranking title to his impressive collection. The Lincoln-based cueist was in fine scoring form during the groups phase as he hit four centuries and a double-century (269) and came top of Group C with four wins from four. 

In the subsequent knockout rounds, Englishman Hall eliminated Steven Allen 531-186, reigning Jersey Open champion Darren Clark 465-208 (with breaks of 138 and 222) and then Martin Goodwill 535-199 (breaks of 162 and 126) to reach the final. 

Emerging from the other side of the draw was four-time world champion Peter Gilchrist who had eliminated current world champion and defending Belgian Open champion David Causier 601-245 in a semi-final heavyweight clash. 

Hall began the final in memorable fashion, crafting a beautiful break of exactly 500 from his first visit to put himself firmly in control of the 90-minute title match. 

That deficit proved to be too much for Gilchrist to recover from, as Hall registered further runs of 132, 94 and 56 to help complete a comfortable victory. 

The Belgian Open Challenge Cup was won by Terry Azor after he defeated Phil Johnson 162-139 in the final.