Singapore pool player Aloysius Yapp captures Michigan Open title for the second year running

Singapore’s top pool player Aloysius Yapp retained an international title for the first time as he clinched the 2022 Seybert’s Michigan Open title on Sep 24.

The 26-year-old overcame Hong Kong’s Robbie Capito, who is currently ranked 38th in the world, 4-2 and 4-1 in the final.

Aloysius, ranked 11th in the world, took home US$20,000 (S$28,600) as well as a guaranteed spot at the 2023 World 10-Ball Championship. He is also set to rejoin the sport’s top 10 rankings.

Aloysius captured the first set in the final after winning the battle for the 6-ball in the sixth rack. He followed that up by racing into a 3-0 lead in the second set, as his opponent struggled for good positions in his first final.

Despite Capito putting up a fightback by pulling back a set, Aloysius kept his cool to win the series, successfully defending his crown.

In the 2021 rendition of the tournament, Yapp clinched the title after defeating Philippines’ Roberto Gomez 4-0 and 4-2 in the final, a feat which moved him up to 1st in the world rankings.

Having played the sport since he was eight years old, Aloysius became the first Singaporean to claim a pool title as he captured the World Pool Billiard Association (WPA) World Nine-ball Junior Championships in 2014.

To date, he has won three other senior titles – the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games Nine-ball Doubles in 2017 and his two triumphs in the 2021 and 2022 Michigan Open.