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World Pool Championship 2023 Draw | Van Boening Starts Defense Against Yoshioka

Shane Van Boening (Taka G Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)

Shane Van Boening will begin the defense of his World Pool Championship title against Japan’s Masato Yoshioka in Kielce, Poland from February 1-5 live on Sky Sports in the UK, Viaplay in Poland, Scandinavia and the Baltics, DAZN in the USA as well as Matchroom.Live and networks worldwide.

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WATCH DRAW

The American will look to become only the second player in history to defend the title following in the footsteps of Earl Strickland in a packed arena at Targi Kielce. 46 countries will be represented in the 128-player field as it is whittled down to the Last 64 over the first two days of action before it’s straight knockout to the end where one will claim the $60,000 first-place prize and the world crown.

The draw was completed with the top 64 players from the Nineball World Rankings against an unseeded player from the other 64 in the hat. Standout first-round ties include 2015 world champion Ko Pin Yi facing James Aranas of the Philippines whilst 2022 semi-finalist Abdullah Alyousef faces the tricky prospect of Johann Chua. 2004 world champion Alex Pagulayan was unseeded and will meet Michael Schneider.

World Cup of Pool winner David Alcaide takes on Billy Thorpe and Shane Wolford‘s mission for a spot on Team USA at the 2023 Mosconi Cup takes on Pia Filler. Francisco Sanchez Ruiz had a year to remember last year and will begin his Nineball campaign against So Shaw of Iran.

Double elimination matches are all race to 9, with all matches from the Last 64 a race to 11 except the final, which is a race to 13.

SEED Name Name
1 Shane Van Boening (USA) VS Masato Yoshioka (JPN)
2 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP) VS  So Shaw (IRI)
3 Joshua Filler (GER) VS James Georgiadis (AUS)
4 Albin Ouschan (AUT) VS Juan Carlos Exposito (ESP)
5 Mario He (AUT) VS Sebastian Batkowski (POL)
6 Jayson Shaw (GBR) VS Francesco Candela (ITA)
7 Wiktor Zielinski (POL) VS Aziz Moussati (MAR)
8 Alexander Kazakis (GRE) VS Erik Hjorleifson (CAN)
9 Max Lechner (AUT) VS Max Eberle (USA)
10 Ko Pin Yi (TPE) VS James Aranas (PHI)
11 Eklent Kaçi (ALB) VS Dimitris Loukatos (GRE)
12 Abdullah Alyousef (KUW) VS Johann Chua (PHI)
13 Oliver Szolnoki (HUN) VS Marcel Price (GBR)
14 Niels Feijen (NED) VS Muhummed Daydat (RSA)
15 Konrad Juszczyszyn (POL) VS Daniel Guttenberger (AUT)
16 Mieszko Fortunski (POL) VS Emil-Andre Gangflot (NOR)
17 David Alcaide (ESP) VS Billy Thorpe (USA)
18 Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) VS Nguyễn Anh Tuấn (VIE)
19 Sanjin Pehlivanović (BOS) VS Joseph Spence (CAN)
20 Jonas Souto Comino (ESP) VS Karl Gnadeberg (EST)
21 Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) VS Bashar Hussain Abdul Majeed (QAT)
22 Ko Ping Chung (TPE) VS Michal Gavenčiak (CZE)
23 Chang Jung-Lin (TPE) VS Jonas-Kvalsund Hansen (NOR)
24 Ronald Regli (SUI) VS Iker Andoni Echeverría (ESP)
25 Naoyuki Oi (JPN) VS Mickey Krause (DEN)
26 Jose Alberto Delgado (ESP) VS Joey Tate (USA)
27 John Morra (CAN) VS Tayfun Taber (GER)
28 Denis Grabe (EST) VS  Ali Nasser Al Obaidli (QAT)
29 Ralf Souquet (GER) VS Sullivan Clark (NZL)
30 Dimitri Jungo (SUI) VS Hunter Lombardo (USA)
31 Thorsten Hohmann (GER) VS Tanes Tansomboon (THA)
32 Aloysius Yapp (SGP) VS Sharik Sayed (SGP)
33 Tomasz Kaplan (POL) VS Ko Ping Han (TPE)
34 Moritz Neuhausen (GER) VS Lường Đức Thiện (VIE)
35 Aleksa Pecelj (SRB) VS Marco Dorenburg (GER)
36 Daniel Maciol (POL) VS  Sina Valizadeh (IRI)
37 Oscar Dominguez (USA) VS Stephen Holem (CAN)
38 Omar Al Shaheen (KUW) VS Joao Grilo (POR)
39 Skyler Woodward (USA) VS Chris Alexander (GBR)
40 Besar Spahiu (ALB) VS Ramazan Akdag
41 Hseih Chia Chen (TPE) VS Nick Van Den Berg (NED)
42 Chris Melling (GBR) VS Duong Quoc Hoang (VIE)
43 Petri Makkonen (FIN) VS Elliott Sanderson (GBR)
44 Imran Majid (GBR) VS Marco Teutscher (NED)
45 Mateusz Sniegocki (POL) VS Mohammad Soufi (SYR)
46 Radoslaw Babica (POL) VS Jan Van Lierop (NED)
47 Robbie Capito (HKG) VS Toh Lian Han (SGP)
48 Jani Uski (FIN) VS Chetan Chhabra (IND)
49 Lo Ho Sum (HKG) VS Lars Kuckherm (GER)
50 Bader Alawadhi (KUW) VS Richard Halliday (RSA)
51 Pijus Labutis (LTU) VS Ajdin Piknjac (BOS)
52 Mika Immonen (FIN) VS  Gerson Martinez (PER)
53 Greg Hogue (USA) VS Mariusz Skoneczny (POL)
54 Shane Wolford (USA) VS  Pia Filler (GER)
55 Karol Skowerski (POL) VS Abdullah Al-Anzi (KUW)
56 Nikos Ekonomopoulos (GRE) VS Ruben Bautista (MEX)
57 Tyler Styer (USA) VS Mason Koch (USA)
58 Roman Hybler (CZE) VS Matt Edwards (NZL)
59 Tobias Bongers (GER) VS Davy Piergiovanni (ITA)
60 Mustafa Alnar VS  Szymona Kural (POL)
61 Daniele Corrieri (ITA) VS Khalid Alghamdi (KSA)
62 Michael Schneider (SUI) VS Alex Pagulayan (CAN)
63 Wu Kun Lin (TPE) VS Fabio Petroni (ITA)
64 Mats Schjetne (NOR) VS Jakub Koniar (SVK)

WHERE TO WATCH

Table 1 will be live on broadcasters worldwide including Sky Sports in the UK, Viaplay in Poland, Scandinavia, Baltics, and the Netherlands, DAZN in the USA, Canada, and Italy, as well as on Matchroom.Live and networks worldwide. See where to watch here.

Table 2 will be live on Viaplay in selected territories as well as on Matchroom.Live and the Matchroom Pool YouTube channel.

Table 3 will be live on Viaplay in selected territories as well as on Matchroom.Live and the Matchroom Multi Sport YouTube channel.

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Spain Clinch World Cup of Pool Title for the First Time

Spain have won the 2022 World Cup of Pool beating Singapore in the final 11-6 at the Brentwood Centre, Essex live on Sky Sports Arena in the UK, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. Singtel in Singapore. Matchroom.Live in territories without a broadcaster.

Spain 11-6 Singapore – Spain clinch World Cup of Pool title for the first time

The Spaniards led by David Alcaide and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz reached the final at a canter dropping only eight racks ahead of their match up with Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp and Toh Lian Han for a shot of glory.

Alcaide and Sanchez Ruiz won the lag and from there it was a plain sailing opening rack despite it being unconventional with a few early nerves from the two amigos. Into the second rack and despite a weak break by Alcaide’s standards, he kept Singapore hooked at his next chance at the table to tuck the cue ball behind the five and keep the two the opposite side. Lian Han fouled and from there it was a routine Spain run out for 2-0.

Into the third and Sanchez Ruiz broke dry which opened Singapore their moment to take their opening rack only for Yapp to leave no angle on the Lian Han. From there, Alcaide and Sanchez Ruiz came back to the table to keep the break in their hands at 3-0 and soon 4-0.

Singapore had their chance after Alcaide fouled when jumping to make the three. Lian Han and Yapp swooped in to cut the initial deficit to three. Before too long that was two as Yapp and Lian Han found stroke.

Lian Han’s safety error was poor in the seventh rack and Sanchez Ruiz and Alcaide pounced to establish a three-rack buffer and to be nearing the halfway stage of victory. That halfway stage was soon reached at 6-2 to Spain.

In the next rack, Yapp went for an ambitions 2-9 combo kicking the two up table only for it to not come off, but the best was yet to come for the US Open runner-up who made an expert jump to pot it before clearing up the table with Lian Han to be 6-3 back.

With Lian Han breaking in the tenth rack, Lian Han left with no shot and Spain came good again to move to seven racks two despite a stroke of fortune from Sanchez Ruiz who banked the one ball into the opposite corner than intended after it had caught the other pocket. Alcaide broke dry in the following rack and Singapore were reducing their comeback further at 7-4.

The Singaporeans hadn’t really done too much wrong despite the scoreline and a break and run in the 12th rack showed just that as they came back into it at 7-5 and soon 7-6.

Spain were frozen for a short while to their chairs until Yapp scratched on the break as the three kissed the cue ball into the top left pocket. It was a key moment as the Singapore onslaught gathered pace. Alcaide and Sanchez Ruiz had a routine runout from there to be three away from glory. The distance for victory soon became two for Spain after two hooks in the space of two balls behind the brown seven. Firstly, for Spain on the two which they made only to leave it open for Yapp to fire in. That left Lian Han hooked only for him to scratch and give Spain the table to be close to the finishing line.

Alcaide went airborne to pot the one at the start of the following rack only for him to scratch in the process and give Singapore the table back. Lian Han left Yapp short of a clear shot on the seven forcing him to bank it only to leave it in the middle of the table for an exquisite bank shot from Alcaide to help Spain reach the hill.

Sanchez Ruiz broke in the last rack to leave a beautiful 2-9 combo to seal a special victory for Spain.

“Every day we had more confidence. All the scores, 7-1, 7-1, 9-2, when you look you think this is our time let’s go. To be honest, in the semi-final and final, we were so nervous at times. But when we had tough shots, we played so good. I think when you play for a team it’s more special than when you play singles. This is my little brother. We’ve played together for ten years and worked so hard. This moment is amazing for us.” – Alcaide

“First of all I want to say thank you to everyone. I want to say thank you to my partner. He played an unbelievable combination. We feel so good right now. We work so hard. We travel all over the world. We dream for one moment like this and we got it today.” – Sanchez Ruiz

The European Open Pool Championship is next up and takes place in Thorsten Hohmann’s hometown of Fulda, Germany at the Hotel Esperanto Fulda from August 9-14 2022 with player entries open Tuesday, 21 June, and spectator tickets available to purchase from Monday 27th June.

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Spain And Singapore to Contest 2022 World Cup of Pool Final

Toh Lian Han and Aloysius Yapp (Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)

Spain and Singapore will contest the 2022 World Cup of Pool final this evening at the Brentwood Centre, Essex live on Sky Sports Arena in the UK, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. Singtel in Singapore. Matchroom.Live in territories without a broadcaster.

Live Scores

Spain’s David Alcaide and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz met Chinese Taipei’s Ko brothers of Pin Yi and Ping Chung for their shot of reaching the final with hopes firmly pinned on going one better than their last semi-final appearance in 2019.

Chinese Taipei got things underway winning the lag and the opening rack, but it was a scrappy and cagey opener as both teams settled into the matter at hand. Into the second and Pin Yi scratched off the break to bring Spain back to the table who capitalised to be leading 2-1 after running out in rack two and a break- and run-in rack three. Spain had a momentum swing from there to lead 3-1 before a simple 2-9 combo asseted a 4-1 lead for the European Mosconi Cup hopefuls.

At 4-1 up, there was a moment of respite for Chinese Taipei as they left Sanchez Ruiz hooked only for him to swerve out of it and leave his opponent in amongst it. From there, it was the case of a simple run out for Spain, but it wasn’t as Alcaide snatched at a six ball with only three left on the table. Pin Yi missed the resulting six only to leave it plumb over the pocket for Sanchez Ruiz and Spain had another rack at 5-1.

Chinese Taipei got their second rack on the board to cut the Spanish lead to three but only for Alcaide and Sanchez Ruiz to establish that buffer at 6-2. Into the ninth and Chinese Taipei had their chance to get something moving. Pin Yi fluked the five-ball to help Chinese Taipei to win their third rack of the day and be a difference of three again. It was a game of fine margins and a scratch on the break from Pin Yi in the next rack turned it again as Spain put their seventh rack away to be two away.

Alcaide and Sanchez Ruiz were imperious at times as they reached the hill unchallenged truly at 8-3 but Pin Yi and Ping Chung were not quite done yet after Sanchez Ruiz tried to play the five into the bottom right pocket but missed it. Ping Chung and Pin Yi needed to run racks to keep in the contest and they stood very little chance after the former scratched on the break in what proved to be the last rack as Spain wrapped up a 9-4 win.

The USA’s Shane Van Boening and Skyler Woodward were looking to replicate their efforts of 2008 and win the title but faced a stern test in Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp and Toh Lian Han.

Van Boening won the lag and broke in the first only to leave Woodward hooked to Singapore’s advantage to put them one up. A break and run from Yapp and Lian Han in the second and third put Singapore 3-0 up. It looked ominous for the USA as Singapore ran another rack to go four up.

The number four was pivotal to the next rack. Singapore had a seemingly routine runout only for Lian Han to scratch when trying to go three rails for the five after making the four. Van Boening and Woodward got on the board from there before taking advantage of Yapp missing a long pot on the one early in the sixth rack. Woodward made the bank on the one full table before the duo wrapped it up to be two back.

A loss of concentration from Van Boening in the sixth rack saw him bank the one ball in when trying to play safe and keep the cue ball tight forcing Woodward to play a bank on the two which opened the table for Yapp and Lian Han who did the rest to go 5-2 up. A break and run from Singapore put them three away from the final, Lian Han’s break guaranteeing a shot on the one ball making all the difference.

Singapore were just not missing balls and with a further break and run in the ninth rack, the USA were staring down the barrel at 7-2 down. With five break and runs already in the bag, it looked like another for Singapore but an uncharacteristic miss on the nine ball from Yapp gave the USA a golden opportunity to pull it to 7-3.

A neat safety from Van Boening in the next rack gave the USA ball in hand which they looked to make advantage of only for Woodward to miss the eight to the bottom left pocket and allow Singapore back in to be on the hill.

In the final rack, a brief safety battle saw Lian Han hook the USA, Van Boening fouled to give Singapore ball in hand, but they couldn’t make the most of it with the three tucked next to the cueball. Yapp left a tempting shot for Woodward which he buried on the three only to leave Van Boening with a tough shot on the five to keep things moving. Van Boening ended up banking and leaving a thin cut for Lian Han to all but seal victory.

Singapore did the rest to reach a maiden World Cup of Pool final.

The final gets underway ive on Sky Sports Arena from 6 pm UK time as well as live on DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. See the full list of broadcasters here including Matchroom.Live if no broadcaster is available.

See the full list of broadcasters here including Matchroom.Live if no broadcaster is available.

Sunday 19, June – Evening Session – 6pm – Final

Spain (4) vs Singapore (6) – Race to 11

The European Open Pool Championship is next up and takes place in Thorsten Hohmann’s hometown of Fulda, Germany at the Hotel Esperanto Fulda from August 9-14 2022 with player entries open Tuesday, 21 June, and spectator tickets available to purchase from Monday 27th June.

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Chinese Taipei And Singapore Into Semi-Finals Of 2022 World Cup of Pool

Ko Ping Chung and Ko Pin Yi (Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)

Chinese Taipei and Singapore are into the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup of Pool at the Brentwood Centre, Essex live on Sky Sports Arena in the UK, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. Matchroom.Live in territories without a broadcaster.

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Live Scores

Niels Feijen and Marc Bijsterbosch were fresh off the back of defeating defending champions Germany and it was the Dutchmen who won the lag against Chinese Taipei before taking the first rack despite Ko Pin Yi’s best efforts with the jump cue. In the second rack, Bijsterbosch laid a snooker that Pin Yi couldn’t get out of to foul opening it up for a quick second rack for the Netherlands.

Pin Yi accompanied by brother Pin Chung on the Chinese Taipei side got back into things just before the commercials at 2-1, thanks to Bijsterbosch scratching when playing a kick on the one. The pair struggled in their win over Greece yesterday morning, but they looked more themselves as they turned the contest around to lead 4-2 thanks to some exquisite cueing.

The Dutch were sat in their seats for a while, but they changed after Ping Chung scratched when making the four ball by going in off the six in the middle pocket. The chance that was presented was converted and they were one back. Ball in hand came to the forefront of the next rack for the Netherlands as Feijen missed a thin cut to give Chinese Taipei control of the table once again to run out and be 5-3 up and over halfway.

Bijsterbosch played a lovely kick and combo on the 3-7 to give the Netherlands a fighting chance in the following rack. Feijen proceeded to play a safety and Pin Yi exposed the three for the Netherlands to come back again at 5-4 and 5-5 thanks to a break and run.

Chinese Taipei were looking to reach their eighth semi-final in the competition’s history, and they were moving one step closer to being within a shout of winning the title again after Bijsterbosch missed the six up the table in the 11th rack to hand Pin Yi and Ping Chung their moment to string three racks together and be on the hill. It was relatively plain sailing for Chinese Taipei, and it seemed they were going to run away with it.

At 8-5 up, Ping Chung missed the 3-8 combo to bring Feijen back to the table who delivered where his opponent couldn’t to keep the Netherland’s hopes alive as they trailed by two. That mistake was costly as Bijsterbosch and Feijen ran the next rack to be one behind. A further Dutch break and run brought the match to a hill hill conclusion.

Bijsterbosch broke in the decider but left Feijen with a tricky effort to stay at the table. A brief safety exchange later and Ping Chung had a shot on the one only for it to collide with the seven up table and leave the table just a complicated. After putting away the one, another safety battle ensued on the two with Feijen tucking the cue ball neatly behind the five away from the two. Ping Chung got a good hit on the two but too cleanly allowing Bijsterbosch back to slow roll the two in but again leaving Feijen short of a clear shot on the three ball this time.

Pin Yi played a beautiful safety to keep the cue ball locked up but this time behind the eight. Bijsterbosch fouled and in the process potted the six to open the table even further. Ping Chung and Pin Yi’s hopes of another title for Chinese Taipei were kept alive as they wrapped up a 9-8 victory.

Aloysius Yapp and Toh Lian Han were looking to venture into unfamiliar territory for Singapore as they met Finland’s Mika Immonen and Jani Uski for a spot in the semi-finals.

Singapore won the lag before a quick break and run helped them to an early lead. Lian Han had a wild go at the three ball to offer Finland their first chance at the table in the second rack but they couldn’t make it pay after Immonen fouled with the ball off the table when locked up behind the seven. From there, it was a relatively routine run out to put the Southern Hemisphere side two up. Rack three was more of the same as far as Singapore were concerned and they were three up at the commercials.

To his frustration, Yapp missed the cut on the three in the fourth rack and Finland had their chance only for Singapore to end up back at the table. Lian Han missed the nine and Immonen had the chance to pot Finland’s first ball of the match only to miss it. Yapp tried to slow roll it in but missed it as Uski closed it out for 3-1. Lian Han’s nerves were tested in the next rack too as he missed the two to allow Finland back in to snatch another at 3-2.

The contest seemed to be turning at that point but Yapp and Lian Han stole the next rack to asset a two-rack buffer once again. Into the seventh and Lian Han broke dry to allow Finland back to the table where Immonen and Uski reduced the scoreline to one once again at 4-3. Singapore were trying their best to pull away and they asserted a three rack gap again after the ninth rack for 6-3.

Lian Han was struggling out in the arena and a scratch on the break brought Immonen and Uski back in again at 6-4. It was a nervy affair throughout with so much on the line and Singapore couldn’t quite contain them as they lost the 11th rack. With the safety laid, Immonen went airborne and delivered a majestic jump shot on the one only to leave Uski hooked. Uski fouled to give Singapore ball in hand, but they failed to make it count as Lian Han twitched on the five.

Finland went level again at 6-6 but that was their last real moment of the match as Singapore came good eventually to seal a 9-6 victory and reach the semi-finals. Singapore taking their moment in the 13th after Immonen’s break left the Fins hooked. Lian Han’s earlier nerves were arrested, and Singapore closed it out.

Action returns from 5 pm with the USA in action against Switzerland before Great Britain meet Spain live on Sky Sports Arena as well as live on DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. See the full list of broadcasters here including Matchroom.Live if no broadcaster is available

Saturday 18, June – Evening Session

Sunday 19, June – Morning Session 

Sunday 19, June – Evening Session 

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Chinese Taipei, Singapore, and Netherlands into Quarter-Finals

Marc Bijsterbosch and Niels Feijen (Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)

Chinese Taipei, Singapore and the Netherlands have all reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup of Pool at the Brentwood Centre, Essex live on Sky Sports Arena in the UK, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. Matchroom.Live in territories without a broadcaster. 

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Live Scores 

Chinese Taipei’s Ko brothers, Pin Yi and Ping Chung became the third side in the quarterfinals after they put in a ballsy display to defeat a determined Greek side led by Alexander Kazakis and Nikos Ekonomopoulos in a hill-hill finish. 

The early running came from Chinese Taipei who took the opening three racks. Pin Yi and Ping Chung had lost the lag but were soon at the table with the rack concluding with a battle on the nine. Greece missed it but left it safe, Pin Yi then played an expert safety to take the cue ball down the table, Kazakis then missed the bank and Ping Chung finished it for Chinese Taipei to lead 1-0. Two quick racks later, Greece were down and cold at the break despite the sweltering conditions in England. 

Kazakis and Ekonomopoulos wanted their say on matters though and they took their first rack off Pin Yi and Ping Chung in the fourth. The break wasn’t great from Chinese Taipei and with Greece back at the table, Kazakis fluked the two whilst trying to play a cross-bank. A run out later and Greece were back in. Ekonomopoulos was showing his Mosconi Cup form of old laying a hook that Pin Yi couldn’t get out of, fouling for Greece to have ball in hand to be one back. It was Ekonomopoulos at the heart of the sixth rack as Greece levelled after another expert safety caused the table to open from Pin Yi’s efforts. 

Pin Yi was seemingly struggling, and he scratched when jumping for the four ball to give Greece the table and inevitably the seventh rack to lead for the first time. In the ninth rack, Greece were 5-3 up when Ekonomopoulos left the three in the jaws, it was an opportunity that Chinese Taipei desperately needed to come back in at 5-4. Ping Chung’s break in the tenth rack was pinpoint and it provided what was seemingly an easy table. A miss on the six brought Greece back to the table but Kazakis couldn’t do enough with the cue ball allowing Chinese Taipei back in to go level at 5-5. 

Ping Chung was cueing well and a nice safety on the three put Greece back in troubled waters only for them to steer out of it well thanks to Ekonomopoulos before running out to be on the hill first. The Greeks were three balls away from the quarterfinals but with the six glued to the eight, Ekonomopoulos missed the six and from there a decider was in the offering. 

In the deciding rack, Kazakis had to jump to make the two, he made the two, but the cue ball proceeded to keep pace and roll down into the bottom right pocket. A sickening blow for Greece in a gutsy showing, Ping Chung, and Pin Yi from there completed a dramatic comeback and victory, 7-6 to reach the quarterfinals. 

The opening four racks between Kuwait (Omar Al-Shaheen and Bader Al Awadhi) and Singapore (Aloysius Yapp and Toh Lian Han) were shared after the latter had taken an initial two rack lead. Kuwait came back thanks to errors from Yapp and Lian Han. Lian Han missed the six in the fourth rack when presented with a golden opportunity to make it 3-1 after Al-Shaheen had scratched earlier on in the rack. 

Singapore was scrapping at times to keep any hold on the game as Kuwait came through strong to come from behind at 5-4. Al Awadhi missed the five ball with the chance to put Kuwait on the hill and Singapore came back into it to win the resulting two racks to get to the hill first. 

Yapp scratched on the break with Singapore on the hill and it looked all but certain that Kuwait would force the second hill hill of the day only for Al-Shaheen to miss the vital nine ball. It was still a testing effort for Lian Han who was jacked up. The nine rattled both sides of the pocket but stayed out but the ball was still safe, and Kuwait were still alive but forced to play a dangerous safety. With Al Awadhi under time pressure, he was forced to play a shot that left the nine in the centre of the table and the cue ball at the top. 

It was Yapp who missed the corresponding nine for Al-Shaheen to force a decider at the second time of asking. Into the final rack, Al Awadhi scratched whilst trying to make the three-ball and from there Singapore got back to the table to complete the win.

Defending champions Germany (Joshua Filler and Thorsten Hohmann) met the Netherlands’ Niels Feijen and Marc Bijsterbosch in the final action of the afternoon in a battle that has been seen in so many sports over the years. After winning the lag, the Netherlands looked to have built ahead of steam if it wasn’t for Bijsterbosch missing the nine and scratching to hand their counterparts an early rack. 

Feijen and Bijsterbosch were soon level though after an uncharacteristic loss of the cue ball with three left on the table from Filler helped the Dutch along their way. The next rack saw Feijen break before Bijsterbosch missed the two, it was a quick rack for Germany then to lead 2-1. Germany had a long wait for their contest after last playing on Tuesday and it seemed they were caught cold by the Netherlands’ fight back as they whistled their way into a 5-3 lead. 

The break from Feijen is renowned and it was coming in clutch every time to provide a springboard for the Dutch resolve but that was broken in the ninth rack. Germany got back to the table and Hohmann meant business as he executed a pinpoint jump shot on the one to aid the German return at 5-4. 

Feijen is a two-time runner-up at the World Cup and he will be hoping to rewrite the stories of old in this competition with Bijsterbosch this week as the pair wrapped up an impressive 7-4 win.  

Action returns from 5 pm with Round 2 continuing live on Sky Sports Arena as well as live on DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. See the full list of broadcasters here including Matchroom.Live if no broadcaster is available. 

Friday 17, June – Evening Session 

Saturday 18, June – Morning Session 

Saturday 18, June – Evening Session 

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South Africa, Kuwait, and Singapore Reach The Last 16

Jason Theron and Kyle Akaloo (Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)

South Africa, Singapore, and Kuwait have all reached the Last 16 of the 2022 World Cup of Pool at the Brentwood Centre, Essex live on Sky Sports Arena in the UK, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. Matchroom.Live in territories without a broadcaster.

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Live Scores

Thailand’s were a late call-up for the World Cup to replace the Philippines and they met two players representing South Africa for the first time in Jason Theron and Kyle Akaloo. The South Africans got off to a better start after Un-Nooh broke dry on the break, but it wasn’t without sketchy moments for Akaloo who was also getting used to the conditions on table.

Un-Nooh and Saengkham had their chances at times, two ball-in-hand opportunities in the fourth rack could’ve given them their opening rack but they failed to make it pay and South Africa led 4-0. South African errors were due to catch up on them and they did as Thailand got two quick racks on the board.  At 4-1, Akaloo tried to screw back to break the eight and nine but in the process missed the pink to allow Thailand back to the table who got their second rack to trail by two.

A dry break from South Africa this time gave Thailand the
but a foul led to a simple 1-9 combo with ball in hand for Theron to make it 5-2. Akaloo had the opportunity to play the kick on the 7-9 but he ended up blowing the table wide open to give Thailand another rack at 5-3.

The Springboks’ experience in pool did prove to be enough in the end as they wrapped up a 7-3 victory to face Great Britain tomorrow evening.

“We had to enjoy it, most are too serious here! We are passionate. We love it. It’s our debut. I feel we need to be enjoying it. They were short on breaking and jumping. Their potting was quite good. They (Thailand) struggled to adjust to the slide which isn’t on a snooker table. We will look at the positives. We got used to it out there. It’s our debut, it’s a big thing. We go forwards with a positive mindset.” – Akaloo

Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp and Toh Lian Han battled their way past a gutsy Qatar to book their spot in the Last 16 where it could’ve been so different if it wasn’t for a string of missed pots from their opponents.

Qatar took the opener but a wild effort on the five ball in the second rack from Waleed Majid K Alars put Singapore back to the table and they made them pay to level at one apiece. Singapore was grafting hard to avoid a potential upset and they soon led 4-2. A scoreline that flattered the Singaporean’s efforts. Majid and Ali Nasser Al Obaidli were up against it with US Open runner-up Yapp starting to build ahead of steam to steer his side towards victory at 5-2.

The Qataris took to the ninth rack knowing any mistakes would prove to be the end of their tournament and they lived dangerously. Ali Obaidi missed the nine to bring Singapore back to the table only for them to do the same with Han. In the end, Majid settled it to keep Qatar’s hopes alive. That hope was only brief though as Singapore reached the Last 16 in the following rack with relative ease to ensure a safe passage and face Kuwait next.

Kuwait were the last of the afternoon action as they met a resiliant-looking Vietnamese side of Dang Thanh Kien and Duong Quoc Hoang. Thanh Kien and Quoc Hoang took the opener but they came unstuck in the following rack as Bader Al Awadhi tucked the eight behind the nine and the cue ball up table. A foul put Kuwait in for an easy finish to level at 1-1.

Omar Al-Shaheen broke in the third only to scratch off the break fo allow Vietnam in who ran out to take the lead once again. It was a scrappy fourth rack that did swing in Vietnam’s favour and they led 3-1. Kuwait came into the competition looking to make an impact and Al Awadhi was cueing perfectly as they wrestled back control to turn it around to 3-3. Soon, the Kuwaitis looked to gather real momentum to make it 5-3 and 6-3 to have won five on the bounce and be on the hill.

Vietnam were not done by any means though, Al Awadhi scratched when making the two in the 10th rack and Vietnam did the rest to pull it to 6-4. An easy break and run in the next from Quoc Hoang and Thanh Kien cut the deficit to one. Kuwait at this stage would’ve been nervy of Vietnam running out the rest of the match but that wasn’t to be as they lost position on the four only to leave the four just over the pocket after jumping. Al-Shaheen and Al Awadhi thanked their lucky stars for that moment to wrap up victory from the clutches of Vietnam.

Action returns from 5pm tonight with the last Round 1 match between Japan and Switzerland before Round 2 begins live on Sky Sports Arena at 11 am as well as live on DAZN in the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Netherlands, and Poland. See the full list of broadcasters here including Matchroom.Live if no broadcaster is available.

5pm Session 

ROUND 1

Japan (7) vs Switzerland

ROUND 2

Spain (4) vs Albania (13)

USA (2) vs Poland (15)

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Efren Reyes To Represent Philippines at 2022 World Cup Of Pool in Essex, England

One of the games’ greatest, Efren “Bata” Reyes will represent the Philippines alongside US Open champion Carlo Biado at the 2022 World Cup of Pool this June 14-19 at the Brentwood Centre, Essex, England with tickets available from £10.

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

The 2022 World Cup of Pool line-up is now complete with all 32 countries confirmed as they do battle for the lucrative prize pot of $250,000 plus the pride of representing their country in one of the sports most unique format with Germany looking to defend their title led by newly crowned World Pool Masters champion Joshua Filler and BCA Hall of Famer Thorsten Hohmann.

Great Britain’s charge for a first World Cup of Pool crown on home soil will see Great Britain A form a new pairing of two-time Mosconi Cup MVP Jayson Shaw and debutant Elliott Sanderson who was selected based on performances so far this year on the Live Nineball World Rankings. Mosconi Cup winner Imran Majid and 2012 Mosconi Cup MVP Chris Melling will represent the red, white, and blue for Great Britain B.

The USA’s assault on the title will come in the form of Nineball World No.1 and World Champion Shane Van Boening with two-time Mosconi Cup MVP Skyler Woodward whilst Austria, two-time winners of the World Cup of Pool, will see Albin Ouschan partner with Nineball World No. 5 and close friend Max Lechner.

Reyes will compete at the World Cup of Pool for the first time since 2012 when the tournament was hosted in the Philippines. The Magician is a two-time winner of the cup claiming the inaugural title in 2006 with Francisco Bustamante before repeating that result three years later on home turf.

Along with the launch of the Nineball World Rankings, the WPA received x16 allocations for various federations seeing countries make their debut this year including Peru with Christopher Tevez and Gerson Martinez as well as Argentina with Ariel Casto and Sebastian Rodriguez for a strong South American contingent. Chinese Taipei return to the fold after missing out last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will look to replicate its success of 2015 with the Ko Brothers of Pin Yi and Ping Chung pairing up.

The first 16 countries were decided by WPA federations from around the world before eight countries were selected based on the 2022 Nineball World Rankings. The final eight came as wild cards from Matchroom. Players have been selected based on both the 2022 and live 2023 Nineball World Rankings. The final team will be revealed during the final day of the UK Open Pool Championship this May 22 at the Copper Box Arena, London.

 

WPA FINLAND Mika Immonen Jani Uski
WPA POLAND Mieszko Fortuński Wojciech Szewczyk
WPA SERBIA Andreja Klasović Aleksa Pecelj
WPA CZECH REPUBLIC Roman Hybler Petr Urban
WPA ITALY Daniele Corrieri Francesco Candela
WPA KUWAIT Omar Al Shaheen Bader Al Awadhi
WPA CHINESE TAPEI Ko Pin Yi Ko Ping Chung
WPA SINGAPORE Aloysius Yapp Toh Lian Han
WPA QATAR Waleed Majid K Alars Ali Nasser Al Obaidli
WPA VIETNAM Duong Quoc Hoang Dang Thanh Kien
WPA ARGENTINA Ariel Casto Sebastian Rodriguez
WPA PERU Gerson Martinez Cristopher Tevez
WPA AUSTRALIA Justin Sajich Ivan Meng Li
WPA SOUTH AFRICA Jason Theron Craig Bouwer
WPA MOROCCO My Cherif Zine El Abidine Imad lagnaoui
WPA CYPRUS Anthony Brabin Christos Meligaliotis.
RANKING USA Shane Van Boening Skyler Woodward
RANKING AUSTRIA Albin Ouschan Max Lechner
RANKING SPAIN David Alcaide Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
RANKING PHILIPPINES Carlo Biado Efren Reyes
RANKING JAPAN Naoyuki Oi Masato Yoshioka
RANKING GREECE Alexander Kazakis Nikos Ekonomopulous
RANKING GERMANY Joshua Filler Thorsten Hohmann
RANKING HUNGARY Oliver Snolnoki Vilmos Földes
WILDCARD NETHERLANDS Niels Feijen Marc Bijsterbosch
WILDCARD CANADA Alex Pagulayan John Morra
WILDCARD SWITZERLAND Dimitri Jungo Ronald Regli
WILDCARD HONG KONG, CHINA Lo Ho Sum Robbie Capito
WILDCARD NEW ZEALAND Matthew Edwards Simon Singleton
WILDCARD GREAT BRITAIN A Jayson Shaw Elliott Sanderson
WILDCARD GREAT BRITAIN B Imran Majid Chris Melling
WILDCARD TO BE DETERMINED

Tickets start from only £10 per session and £15 for an all-day ticket to both the afternoon and evening sessions. Fans can also enjoy the whole week of action for only £85.
Tickets

The World Cup of Pool brings 32 nations together as two-player teams compete for national pride, the title, and their share of a $250,000 prize fund from June 14 to 19. The tournament is a straight-knockout format leaving no room for error. Germany are the reigning champions with one of the world’s best in Joshua Filler spearheading their defence. The likes of World Number One Albin Ouschan of Austria, the USA’s finest Shane Van Boening, and Great Britain’s two-time Mosconi Cup MVP Jayson Shaw will all look to lead their sides to the title over six action-packed days.

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

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64 Remain At 2022 World Pool Championship | Alcaide And Woodward Out

Skyler Woodward (Taka G Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport)

David Alcaide and Skyler Woodward became two of the biggest exits so far as the 2022 World Pool Championship field was whittled down to the Last 64 at the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes. Coverage live on Sky Sports in the UK/Ireland, DAZN in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria as well as Viaplay and networks worldwide.

LAST 64 BRACKET

Losers’ Round 1 saw the first few scalps of the day as both Woodward and Alex Pagulayan were punished as they exited without a win to their name. Woodward lost out to Daniele Corrieri in the opening match, and he went hill-hill with Qatar’s Ali Al Obaidli who fluked the 9 in the penultimate rack to hold the break in the final one. Elsewhere, Pagulayan was much fancied heading into the tournament, but he faltered against former EuroTour winner Craig Osborne of Great Britain to exist early on the second day.

Rolling into the evening, it was Losers’ Qualification with 32 final players set to join the Last 64 and 32 going home. On Table 1, Jayson Shaw demolished Jakub Koniar 9-3 to see the two-time Mosconi Cup draw Finland’s Petri Makkonen in the Last 64. Alcaide was a World Pool Championship semi-finalist just under 12 months ago and his cueing suggested it would be straightforward’s against Hong Kong’s Lo Ho Sum who was knocked into the losers’ bracket by defending champion Albin Ouschan. Ho Sum though, held his nerve in some cagey early moments to pull through and find himself in the Last 64.

Pia Filler put in a stellar day to beat Ivan Meng Li in the afternoon and Bashar Hussein Abdulmajeed 9-6 to make the Last 64 for the first time and set up an enticing Table 1 match with Mario He at 11 am.

Things didn’t get much better for Mosconi Cup captain Jeremy Jones as he witnessed Billy Thorpe, Chris Reinhold, and Tyler Styer all exit on day two, but positives were taken from seeing Nicholas De Leon beat So Shaw and Toh Lian Han by 9-2 and 9-7 scores respectively. De Leon will now face Ouschan. There was also no such luck for Chris Melling who exited at the hands of Bahram Lotfy who will now meet Shane Van Boening tomorrow.

From now, it is single elimination with matches becoming Race to 11 up until the final. The draw saw the 32 players who won in Winners’ Qualification drawn against the 32 players who won in Losers’ Qualification this evening.

Mosconi Cup USA hopeful Shane Wolford has been drawn against Masato Yoshioka whilst Live (2023) Nineball World Rankings No.1  Francisco Sanchez Ruiz faces two-time World Champion, Thorsten Hohmann. Elliott Sanderson overcome a hill-hill finish with fellow Brit Tom Staveley to set up a clash with Chinese Taipei’s Chang Jung-Lin tomorrow.

FRIDAY 8, APRIL 11 am 

Table 1 – Where to Watch 

Mario He vs Pia Filler

Shane Van Boening vs Bahram Lotfy

Table 2 – Live on Matchroom Pool YouTube 

Darren Appleton vs Tomasz Kaplan

Joshua Filler vs Sanjin Pehlivanovic

For all the latest news and announcements follow Matchroom Pool on FacebookTwitterYouTube and Instagram.

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Pool’s Best Push Through To The Final 64

Jung Lin Chang

A veritable armada of pool’s biggest stars pushed their way through to the Final 64 knockout stage at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha today, as the business end of proceedings quickly started to take shape at the 2018 World 9-ball Championship.
 
It was a very busy day which saw 32 players qualify for the money rounds, and another 32 players see their dreams of glory come to a screeching halt.
 
Of course it was quite expected when the tournament began on Friday that over half the original field of 128 players from over 40 countries had no chance at actually winning the event. But the outcomes today were somewhat surprising in that we saw few of the upsets fans have come to expect in the group stages over the years. The only big name to fall by the wayside and get a pink slip was 2001 World 9-ball Champion and Hall of Famer Mika Immonen, who lost his second straight match in as many days.
 
Otherwise the day’s action saw one superstar and rising star after the next take their place in the final 64. When the field is filled at the end of the day’s play on Sunday, fans around the world can expect one of the finest runs to the gold in many years.
 
World number one Klenti Kaci hasn’t looked his sharpest so far. But the 19 year old Albanian did what he had to do in a steady 9-6 win over Kuwaiti Meshaal Al Murdhi.
 
Defending champion Carlo Biado of the Philippines seemed to be on cruise control in his 9-5 win over Russia’s Sergey Lutsker. Despite being the reigning 9-ball king, the Filipino great benefits from being so humble and so low key that he plays almost unnoticed.
 
The biggest winners Saturday in terms of countries was Taiwan, which saw a whopping seven of its players qualify for the round of 64.  2015 World 9-ball champion Ko Pin Yi looked the goods today as he handily beat Czech Republic’s Roman Hybler, 9-4. 2017 semi-finalist Lin Wu Kun grinded out a solid 9 – 7 victory over former champion Yukio Akagariyama of Japan. Ko’s younger brother Ko Ping Chung took a 9 – 6 win over Greece’s Nikolas Malai.  Hsieh Chia Chen beat Russian strongman Ruslan Chinhov 9-8 to make it through.vLui Ri Ten beat American Billy Thorpe 9-7 to make it through.
 
Taiwan’s biggest monster right now—and that is saying something– is surely Chang Jung Lin who is currently ranked number 2 in the world. Chang did win his second straight match to qualify today, but he once again had to go to the limit to get there. Chang blew an 8-5 lead to Greece’s Damianos Giallourakis and had to eke out victory with a nervy clear in the very last rack for a second straight 9-8 win.
 
The USA’s Shane Van Boening, who is one of the heavy favorites this week in Doha, didn’t have as easy a time today as he did on day one. But he was never in real trouble against Venezuelan veteran Jalal Al Sarisi, winning 9-7. SVB’s Mosconi Cup teammate Corey Duel played steady 9-ball and easily defeated Finland’s Petri Makkonen 9-4 to make the knockout stage.
 
World number six and 2014 champion Niels Feijen had another solid day, defeating Spain’s Francisco Diaz-Pizarro, 9-7. The Dutchman’s Mosconi teammate Albin Ouschan didn’t fare as well as he took a thumping from Poland’s Konrad Juszczyszyn, 9-4.  Juszczyszyn may not be a household name to pool fans but it should be noted that he is the current European 9-ball champion. Another Pole who scored a very big victory was Mateusz Sniegocki who took down a very tough Filipino, Jeffrey Ignacio, 9-5. Tomasz Kaplan made it three for Poland today with a win over South Africa’s Jason Theron.
 
It was good day for the Germans as both Ralf Souquet and Joshua Filler won their second straight matches to qualify for the final 64.  18 year old Russian Fedor Gorst continued to impress as he qualified with a handy 9-1 win over Jeong Young Hwa of Korea.
 
It was a very big day for the Japanese side as three players made it through with impressive wins. Takano Tomoo took down former world champion Wu Jiaqing 9-8. Naoyuki Oi was a 9 – 4 winner over Finland’s Casper Matikainen. And Tomoya Iima took a 9 – 7 win over Hoang Guong Quoc of Vietnam.
 
Other winners who qualified for the knockout rounds included the Philippines Jeffrey De Luna, Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp, Canada’s Alex Pagulayan, Myanmar’s talented Phone Myint Kyaw, Spain’s Fracisco Sanchez Ruiz, Greece’s Alex Kazakis, China’s Wang Can and Russia’s Konstantin Stepanov.
 
Chris Melling, the lone Brit in the field, again looked the goods as he easily beat South Africa’s Richard Halliday, 9-3. Qatar’s Waleed Majid also won his second straight to make it through, beating China’s Xu Xiacong, 9-6.
 
Play continues on Sunday in Doha at the Al Arabi with the action beginning at 12pm local time(GMT +3.) All matches on Sunday will be do or die, losers side matches with the winners advancing to the knockout round and the losers going out of the event.
 
The winner of the 2018 World 9-ball Championship will receive $40,000. The runner up will receive $20,000. The total prize fund is $200,000.
 
*The 2018 WPA World 9-ball Championship takes place at the Al Arabi Sports Club Sports Club in Doha, Qatar from December 10-20, 2018. The event is hosted by The Qatar Billiard and Snooker Federation(QBSF), and is sanctioned by The World Pool Billiard Association, the governing body of the sport of pool.
 
Fans around the world will be able to view many of the matches via the QBSF’s free live streaming platform. Multiple tables will be available to view online at no charge to the public. Please visit the WPA Facebook Page for more information.
 
The WPA is also on Twitter; @poolwpa
 
Visit the official website of the WPA at www.wpapool.com
 
The players will compete on Wiraka DYNASTY  Tables with Simonis 860 Cloth, Electric Blue Color and using Aramith Tournament  Pro cup TV Pool Balls featuring the new Duramith Technology.
 
Media coverage of the 2018 World 9-ball Championship is being supported by the American Poolplayers Association(APA).  Join the world’s largest pool league today. Please visit join.poolplayers.com
 
 
 
Results Losers Side Matches
 
Group 1
Abdulatif Alfawal(QAT) 9 – 4 Alejandro Carvajal(CHL)
Woo Seung Ryu(KOR) 9 – 3 Fayaz Hussain(MAL)
 
Group 2
Matt Edwards(NZL) 9 – 5 Ruslanov Stanimir(BUL)
Hunter Lombardo(USA) 9 – 7 Sami Koylu(TUR)
 
Group 3
Roland Garcia(PHL) 9 – 5 1 Ahmed Nizam Uddin(BAN)
David Alcaide(ESP) 9 – 2 Ahmed Aleqaly(JOR)
 
Group 4
Omar Alshaheen(KUW) 9 – 6 Mohammad Soufi(SYR)
Johann Chua Gonzales(PHL) 9 – 3 Wojciech Szewczyk(POL)
 
Group 5
Chang Yu Lung(TPE) 9 – 5 Israel Rota(PHL)
Ahmed Tanvir(BAN) 9 – 4 Fawaz Al Rashedi(KUW)
 
Group 6
Satoshi Kawabata(JPN) 9 – 4 Mika Immonen(FIN)
Abdullah Alenzi(KUW) 9 – 1 Vincent Halliday(RSA)
 
Group 7
4 Ko Ping Han(TPE) 9 – 4 Jakub Koniar(SVK)
Yu Hsuan Cheng(TPE) 9 – 2 Ahmad Mohamad Silah(JOR)
 
Group 8
Sharik Aslam Sayed(SIN) 9 – 6 Mohammad Berjaoui(LEB)
Hasan Idan(IRQ) 9 – 6 Mohammad Al Amin(BAN)
 
Group 9
Nguyen Anh Tuan(VET) 9 – 2 Llanos Jorge(ARG)
Wiktor Zielinski(POL) 9 – 8 Ameer Ali(IRQ)
 
Group 10
Marlon Manalo(PHL)  9 – 2 Ali Abdulhadi(QAT)
Martin Daigle(CAN) 9 – 3 Abdullah Falah(IRQ)
 
Group 11
Thorsten Hohmann(GER) 9 – 7 Takhti Zarekani(IRA)
Maximilian Lechner(AUS) 9 – 6 Jimmy Worung(NED)
 
Group 12
Ali Maghsoud(IRA) 9 – 8 Ali Maghsoud(IRA)
Wojciech Sroczynski(POL) 9 – 7 Maksim Dudanets(RUS)
 
Group 13
Ivar Saris(NED) 9 – 3 Robert Hart(USA)
Marek Kudlik(POL) 9 – 8 Oliver Szolnoki(HUN)
 
Group 14
Denis Grabe(EST) 9 – 2 Toh Lian Han(SIN)
Lin Ta Li(TPE) 9 – 8 Enrique Rojas(CHL)
 
Group 15
Aung Moe Thu(MYN) 9 – 3 Roberto Brillantes(PHL)
Thomas Tokoph(USA) 9 – 8 Kong Bu Hong
 
Group 16
Bing Chen Gao(CHN) 9 – 6 Mohammed Hassan(MAL)
Kwon Hojun(KOR) 9 – 4 Bashar Abdulmajeed(QAT)
 
 
 
Results Winners Side Matches
 
Group 1
Eklent Kaci(ALB) 9 – 6 Meshaal AL Murdhi(KUW)  
Aloysius Yapp(SIN) 9 – 8 Vitaliy Patsura(UKR)   
 
Group 2
Joshua Filler(GER) 9 – 5 Mazen Berjaoui(LEB)   
Jeffrey De Luna(PHL) 9 – 6 Radoslaw Babica(POL) 
   
 
Group 3
Hsu Jui An(TPE) 9 – 1 Bader Alawadhi(KUW)
Lui Ri Teng(TPE) 9 – 7 Billy Thorpe(USA)   
 
Group 4
Fedor Ghorst(RUS) 9 – 1 Jeong Young Hwa(KOR)
Robbie Capito(HKG) 9 – 5 Sanjin Pehlivanovic(BOS)
 
 
Group 5
Niels Feijen(NED) 9 – 7 Francisco Diaz-Pizarro(ESP)  
Corey Duel(USA) 9- 4 Petri Makkonen(FIN)
 
Group 6
Hsieh Chia Chen(TPE) 9 – 8 Ruslan Chinhov(RUS)  
Mateusz Sniegocki(POL) 9 – 5 Jeffrey Ignacio(PHL)   
 
Group 7
Alexander Kazakis(GRE) 9 – 8  Hayato Hijikata(JPN)  
Waleed Majid(QAT) 9 – 7 Xu Xiacong(CHN) 
 
 
Group 8
Alex Pagulayan(CAN) 9 – 8 Toru Kurbayashi(JPN)    
Ko Pin Yi(TPE) 9 – 4 Roman Hybler(CZE)
 
Group 9
Carlo Biado(PHL) 9 – 5 Sergey Lutsker(RUS)    
Tomoya Iima(JPN) 9 – 7 Hoang Guong Quoc(VET)   
 
Group 10
Wang Can(CHN) 9 – 6 Liu Haitao(CHN)  9 – 6 
Naoyuki Oi(JPN) 9 – 4 Casper Matikainen(FIN)  
 
Group 11
Tomasz Kaplan(POL) 9- 5 Jason Theron(RSA)   
Takano Tomoo(JPN) 9 – 8 Wu Jiaqing(CHN)  
 
Group 12
Chris Melling(GBR) 9 – 3 Richard Halliday(RSA) 
Lin Wu Kun(TPE)  9 – 7 Yukio Akagariyama(JPN)    
 
Group 13
Ko Ping Chung(TPE) 9 – 6 Nikolas Malaj(GRE)   
Shane Van Boening(USA)  9 – 7 Jalal Al Sarisi(VEN)   
 
Group 14
Phone Myint Kyaw(MYN) 9 – 4 Lo Ho Sum(HKG)     
Konstantin Stepanov(RUS)  9 – 4 Dang Jinhu(CHN)  
 
Group 15
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz(ESP) 9 – 2 John Morra(CAN)
Konrad Juszczyszyn(POL) 9 – 4 Albin Ouschan(AUS)  
 
 
Group 16
Ralf Souquet(GER) 9 –2 Wen Lo Li(TPE)   
Chang Jung Lin(TPE) 9 – 8 Damianos Giallourakis(GRE)   

Van Boening, Other Top Stars Cruise On Day One In Doha

Shane Van Boening

Shane Van Boening has never won a World 9-ball Championship. He did, of course, come ever so close, finishing runner up in 2015, and 2016. After skipping last year’s championship, however, there is a palpable sense in Doha that the American star is absolutely destined to finally grab the world crown in 2018.
 
Interestingly there are eight former World 9-ball Champions in this year’s field, all of them still highly capable of pulling off the impossible feat yet again. But nobody is yet talking about them. It’s the moniker ‘SVB’ who is on everyone’s lips.
 
Van Boening has admitted that he is playing his best pool perhaps ever. After a grueling six month training regime, he led Team USA to a thrilling victory in the Mosconi Cup last week. He showed up in Doha saying he intends to win, and that he is playing with zero pressure on his shoulders.
 
Fans in Doha, and the pro pool community itself seem to agree something is afoot. While most players played in the relative obscure quiet of the cavernous Al Arabi Sports Club on day 1 of this year’s championship, Van Boening’s time in the arena today actually drew a fair amount of watchers. Everyone and anyone who likes pro pool around here seems to feel something special is afoot. 
 
The American didn’t disappoint in his first outing, as he crushed Poland’s Marek Kudlik 9-1. Good breaking, solid potting, deft safeties all showed up in Van Boening’s arsenal today. Combined with his quiet confidence, SVB laid down an early marker stating that nothing short of victory in Doha will suffice.
 
As all 128 players saw action on the first day of the 2018 World 9-ball Championship, it’s clear, though, that Van Boening will have plenty of serious contenders just as eager and capable of taking the crown on December 20. This year’s field is positively stacked with ferocious talent, both young and not so young. With the Wiraka tables breaking fairly easily—wing ball down, 1 in or near the side pocket—it’s all going to come down to who can handle the almost impossible pressure. Pool fans are in for a real treat over the next six days.
 
In the group stages it’s all about just winning two matches, to make it through to the final 64, where the tournament becomes single knockout all the way to the final. Defending champion Carlo Biado of the Philippines had an easy time of it today, easily taking down Argentina’s Llanos Jorge, 9-3. The man who lost in last year’s final to Biado, fellow Filipino Roland Garcia, came into Doha one of the hottest players in Asia and with high expectations. Garcia, though, stumbled out of the blocks to Taiwan’s Hsu Jui An, 9-8. Garcia will move over to the one loss side of his group where he needs two wins to advance.
 
World number one Klenti Kaci came out looking tired against the always tough Chilean Alejandro Carvajal. The Albanian teen was down four racks early but battled back to clip Carvajal at the wire, 9-7.
 
Pool’s young guns get more numerous and more dangerous year after year. 21 year old German sensation Joshua Filler played his usual brand of solid, care free pool in a 9-6 win over Bulgaria’s Ruslanov Stanimir. 17 year old Russian Fedor Gorst handled the always tough Kuwaiti Omar Al Shaheen, winning 9-6. 17 year old Pole Wiktor Zielinski came in with some expectations on his shoulders but he fell to Japan’s Tomoya Iima, 9-7.
 
It was a good day for the USA Mosconi Cup team as both Billy Thorpe and Corey Duel notched victories, and moved with one win of making the final 64. Canada’s Alex Pagulayan, a winner in 2004, barely scraped by Lebanon’s Mohammad Berjaoui, 9 – 8.  Fellow Canadian John Morra has an easier time of it today, blanking the Philippines Roberto Brillantes, 9-0.
 
Taiwan’s Chang Jung Lin is considered one of the tournament favorites but he struggled mightily against Korea’s Kwon Hojun. Chang was actually down 6-2 at one point but stormed back and won at the wire, 9-8.
 
Chang was one of eight Taiwanese notching victory today, including 2015 champion Ko Pin Yi, Ko’s younger brother Ko Ping Chun, Hsieh Chia Chen and Lin Wu Kun.  The Ko’s actually have an even younger brother in the event, Ko Ping Han, but he lost to Japan’s  Hayato Hijikata.
 
The four European Mosconi Cup players on hand all won today. Besides Kaci, Austria’s Albin Ouschan continued to look rock solid with a 9-4 win over the USA’s Thomas Tokoph. The Netherlands’ Niels Feijen waltzed to victory with a neat 9-5 win over the always stingy Taiwanese Chang Yu Lung. Greece’s Alexander Kazakis barely got by Slovakia’s Jakub Koniar, 9-8.
 
England’s Chris Melling is someone people seem to be talking about as a possible champion, and the lone British representative on hand didn’t disappoint, winning easily over the Netherlands Marc Bijsterboch, 9-2.
 
Former world champion Wu Jiaqing of China cruised with a 9-1 win over the Netherlands’ Jimmy Worung. China went 5 out of six today with wins also by Dang Jinhu, Liu Haitao, Wan Can and Xu Xiacong.
 
Former world champion and hall of famer Ralf Souquet found victory today with a 9-3 win over the Maldives’ Mohammed Hassan.  But former world champion and fellow hall of famer Mika Immonen fell to Russia’s Ruslan Chinahov, 9-5.
 
Qatar’s favorite player made a splash today. Waleed Majid, who made it to the quarterfinals here in 2014, showed that he has clawed his way back into championship form with a 9-5 win over former US Open champion, Yu Hsuan “Kevin” Cheng.
 
Play continues on Saturday in Doha at the Al Arabi with the action beginning at 10am local time(GMT +3.) After the four sessions on Saturday, 32 players will be out and 32 players will be through to the final 64.
 
The winner of the 2018 World 9-ball Championship will receive $40,000. The runner up will receive $20,000. The total prize fund is $200,000.
 
*The 2018 WPA World 9-ball Championship takes place at the Al Arabi Sports Club Sports Club in Doha, Qatar from December 10-20, 2018. The event is hosted by The Qatar Billiard and Snooker Federation(QBSF), and is sanctioned by The World Pool Billiard Association, the governing body of the sport of pool.
 
Fans around the world will be able to view many of the matches via the QBSF’s free live streaming platform. Multiple tables will be available to view online at no charge to the public. Please visit the WPA Facebook Page for more information.
 
The WPA is also on Twitter; @poolwpa
 
Visit the official website of the WPA at www.wpapool.com
 
The players will compete on Wiraka DYNASTY  Tables with Simonis 860 Cloth, Electric Blue Color and using Aramith Tournament  Pro cup TV Pool Balls featuring the new Duramith Technology.
 
Media coverage of the 2018 World 9-ball Championship is being supported by the American Poolplayers Association(APA).  Join the world’s largest pool league today. Please visit join.poolplayers.com
 
Results Day 1
 
Group 1
Eklent Kaci(ALB) 9-7 Alejandro Carvajal(CHL)
Meshaal AL Murdhi(KUW) 9 – 5 Abdulatif Alfawal(QAT)
Aloysius Yapp(SIN) 9 – 3 Fayaz Hussain(MAL)
Vitaliy Patsura(UKR) 9 – 5 Woo Seung Ryu(KOR)
 
 
Group 2
Joshua Filler(GER) 9 – 6 Ruslanov Stanimir(BUL)
Mazen Berjaoui(LEB) 9 – 6 Matt Edwards(NZL)
Radoslaw Babica(POL) 9 – 5 Hunter Lombardo(USA)
Jeffrey De Luna(PHL) 9 – 7 Sami Koylu(TUR)
 
 
 
Group 3
Hsu Jui An(TPE) 9 – 8 Roland Garcia(PHL)
Bader Alawadhi(KUW) 9 – 1 Ahmed Nizam Uddin(BAN)
Billy Thorpe(USA) 9 – 4 Ahmed Aleqaly(JOR)
Lui Ri Teng(TPE) 9 – 1 David Alcaide(ESP)
 
 
 
Group 4
Fedor Ghorst(RUS) 9 – 6 Omar Alshaheen(KUW)
Jeong Young Hwa(KOR) 9 – 7 Mohammad Soufi(SYR)
Robbie Capito(HKG) 9 – 5 Wojciech Szewczyk(POL)
Sanjin Pehlivanovic(BOS) 9 – 7 Johann Chua Gonzales(PHL)
 
 
Group 5
Niels Feijen(NED) 9 – 5 Chang Yu Lung(TPE)
Francisco Diaz-Pizarro(ESP) 9 – 2 Israel Rota(PHL)
Corey Duel(USA) 9- 5 Ahmed Tanvir(BAN)
Petri Makkonen(FIN) 9 – 3 Fawaz Al Rashedi(KUW)
 
Group 6
Hsieh Chia Chen(TPE) 9 – 3 Satoshi Kawabata(JPN)
Ruslan Chinhov(RUS) 9 – 5 Mika Immonen(FIN)
Mateusz Sniegocki(POL) 9 – 7 Vincent Halliday(RSA)
Jeffrey Ignacio(PHL) 9 – 6 Abdullah Alenzi(KUW)
 
Group 7
Alexander Kazakis(GRE) 9 – 8  Jakub Koniar(SVK) 
Hayato Hijikata(JPN) 9 – 4 Ko Ping Han(TPE)
Xu Xiacong(CHN) 9 – Ahmad Mohamad Silah(JOR)
Waleed Majid(QAT) 9 – 5 Yu Hsuan Cheng(TPE)
 
Group 8
Alex Pagulayan(CAN) 9 – 8 Mohammad Berjaoui(LEB)
Toru Kurbayashi(JPN) 9 – 5 Sharik Aslam Sayed(SIN)
Roman Hybler(CZE) 9- 8 Mohammad Al Amin(BAN)
Ko Pin Yi(TPE) 9 – 4 Hasan Idan(IRQ)
 
Group 9
Carlo Biado(PHL) 9 – 3 Llanos Jorge(ARG)
Sergey Lutsker(RUS) 9 – 8  Nguyen Anh Tuan(VET)
Tomoya Iima(JPN) 9 – 7 Wiktor Zielinski(POL) 
Hoang Guong Quoc(VET) 9 – 5 Ameer Ali(IRQ)
 
Group 10
Liu Haitao(CHN) 9 – 2 Ali Abdulhadi(QAT)
Wang Can(CHN) 9 – 6 Marlon Manalo(PHL)  
Casper Matikainen(FIN) 9 – 8 Martin Daigle(CAN)
Naoyuki Oi(JPN)  9 – 2 Abdullah Falah(IRQ)
 
Group 11
Jason Theron(RSA) 9 – 6 Thorsten Hohmann(GER)
Tomasz Kaplan(POL) 9 – 6 Takhti Zarekani(IRA)
Takano Tomoo(JPN) 9 – 7 Maximilian Lechner(AUS)
Wu Jiaqing(CHN) 9 – 1 Jimmy Worung(NED)
 
Group 12
Chris Melling(GBR) 9 – 2 Marc Bijsterboch(NED)
Richard Halliday(RSA) Ali Maghsoud(IRA)
Yukio Akagariyama(JPN) 9 – 6 Maksim Dudanets(RUS)
Lin Wu Kun(TPE) 9 – 5 Wojciech Sroczynski(POL)
 
Group 13
Ko Ping Chung(TPE) 9 – 6 Ivar Saris(NED)
Nikolas Malaj(GRE) 9 – 3 Robert Hart(USA)
Jalal Al Sarisi(VEN) 9 – 5 Oliver Szolnoki(HUN)
Shane Van Boening(USA) 9 – 1 Marek Kudlik(POL)
 
Group 14
Phone Myint Kyaw(MYN) 9 – 3 Denis Grabe(EST) 
Lo Ho Sum(HKG) 9 – 3 Toh Lian Han(SIN) 
Konstantin Stepanov(RUS) 9 – 8  Enrique Rojas(CHL)
Dang Jinhu(CHN) 9 – 8 Lin Ta Li(TPE)
 
Group 15
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz(ESP) 9 – 6 Aung Moe Thu(MYN)
John Morra(CAN) 9 – 0 Roberto Brillantes(PHL)
Konrad Juszczyszyn(POL) 9 – 4 Kong Bu Hong(HKG)
Albin Ouschan(AUS) 9 – 4 Thomas Tokoph(USA)
 
Group 16
Ralf Souquet(GER) 9 – 3 Mohammed Hassan(MAL)
Wen Lo Li(TPE) 9 – 5 Bing Chen Gao(CHN)
Damianos Giallourakis(GRE) 9 – 7 Bashar Abdulmajeed(QAT) 
Chang Jung Lin(TPE) 9 – 8 Kwon Hojun(KOR)