2010 US Open 9-Ball Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Darren Appleton
2	Corey Deuel

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

England’s Darren Appleton, known as Dynamite, won his first major American title at the 2010 U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, defeating Corey Deuel 15-13 at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Virginia. Appleton had switched from English 8-ball pool in 2006 to compete in 9-ball on American tables.

Appleton developed his skills in American pool over several years. After ranking 33rd in the 2000 World Championships, he committed to the American game, spending much of 2007 practicing and playing money matches in the Philippines. He won the inaugural WPA World Ten-ball Championship in 2008 before claiming the U.S. Open title.

The final brought together two strong competitors. Deuel represented the American contingent that included Shane Van Boening and Johnny Archer in the field. Appleton’s victory came with a $40,000 prize and the green blazer awarded to U.S. Open champions, which includes free entry to all future tournaments.

The tournament featured defending champion Mika Immonen from Finland, who finished third, and legendary players including Efren Reyes, Earl Strickland, and Francisco Bustamante. Warren Kiamco finished fourth, while Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann from Germany also advanced deep into the competition, showing the international nature of the field.

Appleton went on to win the 2012 WPA World Nine-ball Championship. His 2010 U.S. Open victory marked a major milestone in his career transition to American pool.

Sources: Wikipedia – 2010 U.S. Open 9-ball Championship

This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.