Barry Hearn discovers his opening opponent for the US Open 9-Ball Pool Championship

The 76-year-old sports promo supremo announced his desire to compete in the blue riband event some time ago, and after accepting a wildcard entry into the World Nineball Tour ranking event, Hearn has spent the last few months preparing and practicing for his big break.

Matchroom Sport President Hearn - who has been involved with creating sporting spectaculars for around 50 years - has even received guidance from close friend, six-time world snooker champion and former Mosconi Cup winner Steve Davis.

The US Open is professional 9-ball pool’s most decorated competition having first been held in 1976. In recent years, Matchroom Pool acquired the rights to the historic event and it is now part of their emerging World Nineball Tour portfolio.

This year’s US Open 9-Ball Pool Championship takes place at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City between August 19-24. Carrying a prize fund of $300,000 - with $50,000 of that going to the champion - over 230 players with representation from six different continents have entered.

American stars Earl Strickland and Shane van Boening - who are both on the 2024 entry list - jointly hold the record for the most number of US Open title triumphs with five each. Other pool legends including the Philippines’ Efren Reyes have also claimed the sought-after crown.

The reigning US Open champion is Ko-Ping Chung; the Taiwanese cueist defeated Fedor Gorst 13-6 in last year’s final. Gorst - Russian-born but now living in and representing the USA - is the current World 9-Ball Pool Champion and World Number One. Gorst recently won the world title in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The US Open format consists of two phases - double elimination followed by a straight knockout. During the opening stage, players have two lives to qualify for the last 64.

Sky Sports television in the UK and Ireland will broadcast live the final two days of the 2024 US Open 9-Ball Pool Championship, although the opening four days can be watched on the Matchroom Pool/Multi Sport YouTube channels for free. It is expected that Hearn’s opening match will be shown on one of these livestreamed tables.

Who is Barry Hearn’s opponent at the US Open Pool?

Hearn - who is realistic about his prospects for the tournament - will play world number 43 Juszczyszyn in a race to nine racks round one tie. If Hearn loses, he would play at least another match in the losers side of the draw (race to eight).

Juszczyszyn has been a European 9-ball champion and an event winner on the Euro Tour. A multiple-time Polish national 9-ball champion, he is very adapt across cuesports having also claimed the Polish Amateur National Snooker Championship in 2021. Speaking to Sky Sports prior to his stateside trip, Hearn explained why he is making the plunge in Atlantic City: “I've had 50 years this year, it's my anniversary 50 years promoting sport.

“I've had a wonderful time and I'm a huge admirer of sportsmen and women with their ability. I've never once had the opportunity to go on the other side of the line, to be on over the fence where the big boys are.

“Of course I'm realistic, I know it's not going to be an uphill struggle, I'm going to get slaughtered, probably, but as usual I'll give it my best shot and I will have fun which is the essence of being involved in sport in the first place; it's got to be fun. I can't tell you how excited I am.”

Talksport Radio host Andy Goldstein - who snooker fans will be familiar with having previously introduced professional events on Sky and Eurosport - is also a wildcard for this year’s US Open 9-Ball Pool Championship.

A very capable cueist, Goldstein has the daunting task of facing Germany’s Ralf Souquet - a former winner of this event, former world champion, and one of pool’s greatest-ever players - in the first round.

Please visit matchroompool.com to follow the 2024 US Open 9-Ball Pool Championship, including details on the draw, results and match schedule.