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Stroke of Genius

Presented by PoolDawg.com
Video provided by Accu-Stats Video Productions


2024 U.S. Open




Player: Shane Van Boening
Event: 2024 U.S. Open
Location: Atlantic City, N.J.
Date: April 24, 2024



Not that you'd ever want to see Shane Van Boening in the opponent's chair in the later rounds of an international tournament, but you especially don't want to be opposite the newly inducted BCA Hall of Famer at the U.S. Open. The 41-year-old has collected five titles in his career, tying him with Earl Strickland for the all-time lead. (And it's not even close after those two. Mike Sigel with three is the only other player with more than a pair.)

At the 2024 U.S. Open in Atlantic City, N.J., Van Boening faced an opponent in Joshua Filler, the 2019 champ, who is hardly one to be intimidated. The two battled their way through the race-to-11 with Van Boening grabbing an 8-3 lead, before Filler closed the gap to 9-7.

After a safety battle, Filler left the American with the shot shown in the diagram. With plenty of distance but a clean shot at the 2, Van Boening opted to play aggressively. With plenty of follow, he drilled the 2 into the top left corner, bending the cue ball's path to the left after contact with the left long rail for a steeper angle back down-table.

Playing perfect speed with the precise angle off the head rail, Van Boening watched the cue ball roll into perfect shape on the 3, which could sneak past the 9 into the bottom left corner.

Unsurprisingly, he cleared this rack without much of an issue to get on the hill. Also in something that felt like fate, Van Boening broke and ran the final rack to take the match, 11-7. Though he would fall short in the final against Fedor Gorst, it's a safe bet Van Boening will be on the hunt for U.S. Open title number six for years to come.

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