Mika Immonen Successfully Defends US Open 9-Ball Title!

Imagine losing in the second round of the US Open when you're the defending champion. You're looking at a virtual wall of the world's top players between you and the title. Nearly impossible, right?

Wrong. Mika Immonen successfully defended his title despite an 11-9 second round loss to Chris Bartram. From there he won thirteen (yes, thirteen!) straight matches from the one-loss side to face undefeated Ralf Souquet in the finals. Along the way, Mika defeated Thorsten Hohmann, Steve Moore, Rodney Morris, Lee Van Corteza and Donnie Mills. But his job wasn't finished yet, and let's face it, a $40,000 purse is a pretty good motivator...

Formidable opponent Ralf Souquet took a quicker route to the finals with wins over Huidje See, Stevie Moore, Bartram, Corteza, and Donnie Mills, but the final was a well-matched display of awesome 9-Ball action. Mika took an early 4-2 lead in the race to thirteen, but Ralf stayed on his heels, then passed up his opponent, leading 7-4.

But fans knew not to count Immonen out, not yet. The worm turned, and it was Mika on top again, leading 10-7. Ralf fought back to 10-10, but that would be his last hurrah. Mika Immonen pulled away 12-10, then won the game, match and title with an impressive 1-9 carom!

On hand to see the battle was the U.S. Open's only other repeat champion, BCA Hall of Famer Nick Varner, who was on hand for the BCA Hall of Fame banquet earlier in the week that saw Allison Fisher and Johnny Archer enter the esteemed Hall of history.

Runner-up Ralf Souquet took home $15,000 for his runner-up finish. Donnie Mills and Lee Van Corteza rounded out the top four finishers. This marked the 34th running of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, pool's longest running professional event. Congrats to promoter Barry Behrman and his ace staff for putting another one in the record books!