As the youngest pool player in history, Riku Romppanen made it to the top 16 in the Matchroom tournament of the umbrella organization that brings together the world’s best.
– Hats off to how he played and withstood the pressure. To be honest, the performance was incredible for a 15-year-old.
The best pool player in the world right now Joshua Filler didn’t mince his words when the German had brought down the 15-year-old Riku Romppanen In the UK Open handball tournament organized in London.
Filler won Romppanen’s set 10–6 on Saturday, when there were only 16 players left in the tournament.
Romppase became the youngest player in history to reach the top 16 in the tournaments of Matchroom, the umbrella organization that gathers the world’s best players.
On his way to fame, Romppanen knocked out six players, including the 2012 World Doubles Champion Petri Makkonen batch 10–6.
While Romppanen made pool history, his peers celebrated the end of elementary school at Aurinkokive school in Kivistö, Vantaa. Romppanen showed that he did not ask for an absence for the last days of school in vain.
– Yes, the school went very well, and the permission to travel came, Romppanen said by phone from London.
He had also competed in the tournament as a travel partner in the UK Open Eero-father whose matches ended in two losses.
– The ability to withstand pressure has developed with the big competitions, Riku Romppanen summed up the tournament.
– I have been able to play against the best in the world, but this opponent was one of the toughest… if not the toughest, Romppanen praised Filler.
Young star
Romppanen’s sensational advancement to the top 16 did not come as a complete surprise to the pool circles.
In addition to his success in the youth competition, a year ago he knocked down, among other things, an American who is among the world’s absolute best by Skyler Woodward.
– It is perhaps the best victory of my career, Romppanen recalls.
The world of billiards has seen young cue players before. On the snooker side Ronnie O’Sullivan conquered the UK Championship in 1993 at the age of 17, and in the pool the Chinese Wu Jiaqing In 2005, he won both the ysi and kasiball world championships when he was 16 years old.
One of the greatest pool players of all time, currently playing at the European Championships in Tampere Mika Immonen started the sport at all only when he was 15 years old.
Although Romppanen’s shares in pool circles rose even more on Saturday, the youngster keeps his feet on the ground when it comes to his goals for the coming years.
– I just try to do well in every race I participate in.
– I played quite well here. Especially the break (starting shot) improved as the tournament progressed. The security game must be improved if you want to succeed, Romppanen said.