Predator Euro Tour Series
BHR Best Western Hotel, Treviso
2026 Longoni Italian Open
LONGONI ITALIAN OPEN UNDERWAY IN TREVISO
20th August 2026
THE 2026 LONGONI Italian Open has commenced in Treviso as 199 players chalked their cues for the fourth PREDATOR EURO TOUR event of the year. In total three rounds were completed as players jostled to stay on the winners’ side of the draw and make the battle to the last 32 single elimination less stressful.
Taking place at the BHR Best Western Hotel, the competition is 10-ball and the races are to seven for the double elimination and then to nine for the single elimination last 32.
‘Tornado’ Tony Drago (Malta) playing his first Euro Tour for four years, enjoyed mixed fortunes as he defeated local Davide de Santis 7-2 in quick time and then lost to Mateusz Sniegocki of Poland by the same scoreline to go to the one-loss side.
Win or lose, Drago is certainly enjoying his return to the Euro Tour circuit; “ That arena there is absolutely beautiful and I really enjoyed playing. It’s great to be back and I decided to play two or three events and I always loved playing pool.
“I do have some unfinished business because pool gave me lots of good things, two Mosconi Cups, World Pool Masters, Predator 10-Ball in Vegas and all that so I’m not just playing, I’m quite good at it but these kids now make me feel too old but there’s so much young talent.
“If you ask me, the more I play Euro Tours, the more I’ll be setting my goals to try and win one or two but as long as I enjoy playing and seeing old friends, that’s good enough for me. Having fun is the No.1 goal and if I win that’ll be a bonus,” he added.
Upwards of 25 players are competing this week who also played at the EPBF Predator European Youth Championships in Slovenia in July where the stars of the show were the Slovakian duo of Mark Szabo and Timothei Furko. With three golds and two silvers between them, it was the week of their lives.
Now they’re mixing it with the adults in the Longoni Italian Open as they reflected on their junior success.
Commented Szabo, “We were both really proud to have written ourselves into the history of Slovakian pool. Timothei was the first one with the gold and then me and no one has ever achieved that in Slovakia and I think we are both really proud with what we achieved. Here in Italy, I just want to enjoy the game and play my best and have fun here.”
Furko added, “It was good because we won gold so I celebrated with my parents and family and then went to train some more. Now it’s a men’s tournament so there are more good players. It’s hard to play here because everyone can play good.”
Frenchman Fabio Rizzi was off to a winning start defeating Pelayo Cueli (ESP) and then countryman Shai Fitoussi to advance to Winners’ Round 2 on Friday afternoon. Rizzi has put in some good results on the Euro Tour as he looks to make a move into the winner’s circle.
He said, “I’ve made some results in the past but today I’m a different player, I’m a better player than before. I’m playing really better than in the past and I have more goals for the future and I think I can win a Euro Tour, I hope. I try to practice every day, I do some sport, keep practicing, keep training. My target is to play my best game every time and that my game is at my level, that’s my only goal.”
The Longoni Italian Women’s Open gets underway on Friday morning and there is a strong entry of 51 players representing 19 different countries. One Italian player looking forward to it is Sara Iannini, a long-standing competitor on the tour.
She said, “This is amazing for me because every time I have to go alone with my baggage and cue and playing in my country is the best. Every Euro Tour I want to play my best but it’s impossible to know what will happen tomorrow but I want to play my best every time.”
Iannini was one of the competitors in the recently completed Banca del Fucino WPA Women’s World 10-Ball Championship and she was full of praise for the lavish event.
She commented, “The World 10-Ball in Rome was amazing because Rome is my city. Predator and Patrizia (Petricca), they did amazing work and the women players are crazy for the competition. I know we play for two years again and I can play in my city and all the women players are very happy for this.”
Play resumes on Friday with the men’s tournament starting at 9.00, whilst the Longoni Italian Women’s Open gets underway at the same time. As of 2026, WPA World Ranking points are now available on both men’s and women’s Predator Euro Tours.
Tables 1 and 2 at the Longoni Italian Open will be streamed throughout on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ProBilliardTV
For all results, live scoring and draw, visit www.epbf.com
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