Filler and Chen Named AzB Players of the Year

The 2019 Male Player of the Year was a controversial one. Relishing in his success at such a young age, Germany’s Joshua Filler was brimming with confidence all year. With almost $150,000 in 2019 prize money (by our records), Filler had every reason in the world to be confident though.

Joshua Filler

Erwin Dionisio

Filler added a US Open 9-Ball Championship to his trophy cabinet in 2019, along with wins at the World Pool Series’ Grand Finale, the Eurotour’s Leende Open and the 2019 Interpool Open in Sweden. He also had a runner-up finish at the World 10-Ball Championship and Derby City Bigfoot Challenge, to name just a few.

Filler’s 2019 ended in disappointment, when he and his European teammates were unable to take the Mosconi Cup back from Team USA. We suspect that loss will do nothing but motivate Filler and fuel his 2020 schedule.

While the Male Player of the Year topped the money list, the Female Player of the Year had to settle for second on the ladies money list. Si Ming Chen had a little over $50,000 in prize money (by our records), and captured her third China Open Championship, as well as the WPBA Masters. Admittedly, we do not have records from the list of CBSA events that Chen competed in during the year.

Si Ming Chen

Erwin Dionisio

Chen’s closest challenger for the 2019 title was Kelly Fisher. Fisher won the Women’s World 9-Ball Championship and WPBA Dr. Pool Classic, and finished just below Chen in second place at the WPBA Masters. The decision was close enough that we had to go to head-to-head records to determine a winner. Chen defeated Fisher in the China Open, Chinese 8-Ball World Championship and twice at the WPBA Masters. She split two matches with Fisher in 2019 CBSA events.

For Filler it was his first Player of the Year award, and it was Chen’s second award, as she won this title in 2017.