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2014 WPA World 9-Ball Championships
Qatar Billiards & Snooker Federation
Al Sadd Sports Club
Al Sadd Street
Sport Roundabout
Doha
Qatar
www.qbsf.qa - facebook - live stream - group results
www.wpa-pool.com - Twitter - facebook
www.kozoom.com

Monday - Friday 16 - 27 June 2014

Photos Courtesy of Richard Walker
Shock upsets send the big boys packing as the field at the 2014 World 9-ball Championship gets down to the final 32

Pool�s next generation of superstars took a giant leap towards claiming their place in the sun today, producing a slew of shocking and unexpected results as the field at the 2014 World 9-ball Championship was cut in half from 64 players down to 32.

It was an extraordinary day given over to unknown upstarts, newcomers, fearless young guns, and a few wily but unheralded veterans, all of whom seemed to collectively state to pool�s elite that it was time for some new and different names to grab the headlines for a change.

So how bad was it for pool�s biggest names? Well, here�s a statistic that could come straight from the crime blotter; five former world 9-ball champions, and the defending champion Thorsten Hohmann all went down to defeat. Heavy favorites like the Philippines� Dennis Orcollo and Lee Van Corteza also were sent home.

The remaining field still comprises two former world champions, and plenty of pool�s top ranked players. And when they set off tomorrow with all these fresh faces in the mix, the results are likely to remembered for some time to come. That�s because Thursday�s breakneck schedule will see the remaining 32 players whittled down to just four by the end of the day. The semi-finals and finals will them be contested on Friday.

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The tone of the day was set early in the first session by Qatar�s very own Waleed Majid. On paper the 26 year old Qatari had no chance against world number four Lee Vann Corteza, who was tapped by some to win this world title. Majid had never before even gone beyond the group stages.

Majid, though, played like he was the one pegged for greatness. Smooth, confident, fearless, the Qatari played near flawless 9-ball, putting the Filipino on the ropes early and keeping him there until the very end and taking an impressive 11-6 victory. It�s the first time a Qatari pool player has ever reached the round of 32 in the World Championship.

While drinking in the hugs, kisses and accolades of his fellow countrymen, Majid revealed that playing the world�s best players doesn�t scare him, but rather it motivates him to play beyond his own capabilities

�During the match I always just look at the table,� Majid said. �I don�t look at my opponent. But before the match if I see I�m playing a world class player, then that really helps me concentrate and play better.

�I felt good in practice before the World 9-ball Championship. I want to do good because I want to help pool in Qatar. I will give everything to help Qatar because Qatar supports me.�

Majid said that before the tournament, he actually had the fervent desire to meet 2012 World 9-ball champion Darren Appleton, a wish which will now come true in the round of 32 on Thursday in front of what promises to be a very one-side home town crowd.

�Before the tournament I was actually hoping to play Darren Appleton. I want to test my skills. I�m ready to play him. I will try my best and hopefully I can win and bring a big honor to Qatar and Qatar Billiard Federation.�

Appleton would present a very formidable obstacle to even the most seasoned veteran as he is clearly playing at the top of his extraordinary game. The Brit found himself up against fellow Englishman and good friend Daryl Peach in a match of two former champions. Appleton got off to a quick start and never looked back and cruised to an easier than expected 11-3 win.

Appleton said not only was he feeling confident about his game, but he was feeling very relaxed and comfortable in the Al Saad Sports Club. It was in this very building two years ago where Appleton had his greatest triumph, winning the World 9 ball Championship in a thriller against China�s Li He Wen.

�I feel at home here in the Al Saad because this is where I won the World 9-ball Championship in 2012. Last year they had the tournament in another venue so in a way I feel like I�m defending my title. I have a lot of fond memories here. And I�d like to create a few more in the next few days.�

The Philippines Dennis Orcollo was expected to create a major memory this year, but the Filipino star ran into a streaking Naoyuki Oi of Japan. Oi, who reached the semis here two years ago, has a marvelous game when he gets his engine cranked and today he played in full gear from the beginning. Orcollo fell behind big early and never recovered, as Oi held him off for an 11-8 win.

Two more Filipinos fell by the wayside early to two of the tournaments impressive young guns. China�s Wang Can certainly seems headed for big things and today he continued his imposing play as he won a stingy victory over the Philippines Warren Kiamco, 11-8. Austria�s young Mario He appears to be coming into his own and looked solid in outlasting former world champ Alex Pagulayan 11-9.

While Filipino fans were in shock at the early exit of many of their big names, several others, including a few newer players, stepped into the void to grab the limelight. Last year�s semi-finalist Carlo Biado played strong today, as did Johann Chua who continued to look brilliant with a dominating performance over Italy�s Daniele Corrieri, 11-4. Raymond Faraon and Elmer D. Haya, two relative unknowns who toil as overseas workers teaching pool in the Middle East also advanced with solid wins.

Canada�s Jason Klatt has been on the scene for a few years but he has never looked better than in the last few days.. The 28 year from Selkirk, Canada, and who now lives in Bloomington, Illinois, manhandled the Philippines Jeffrey De Luna, 11-6. Klatt�s spent much of the last two years on the road in the US, playing tournaments, money games and practicing his craft. Much of this travel has been with his good friend, Darren Appleton. Klatt says the lessons learned from hanging around with a talent like Appleton are starting to sink in.

�Just being around a guy of his caliber rubs off,� Klatt said. �He was always telling me, �You�ve just got to believe in yourself.� And I think I�m starting to see the results now.�

Later in the day Shane Van Boening kept the USA�s hopes alive with a hard fought win over Taiwan�s Chang Jung Lin. Former world champion Wu Jiaqing, now playing for China, finally showed his world class form with a drubbing of Taiwan�s Lo Li Wen, 11-4. Taiwan�s young Hsu Kai Lun and China Open champion Chiang Yu Lung also moved on.

Some the day�s best fireworks were saved for the last session of the day. The Czech Republic�s Roman Hybler has been on the scene for over ten years but hadn�t made much noise in about that much time. Today the 37 year old Hybler roared back into the pool spotlight with an impressive outing against former world champ Mika Immonen, winning 11-7.

�When I woke up today and went to the practice hall I felt good, I felt I had a chance today,� Hybler said. �If I can Mika, I can beat anyone.�

China�s Li He Wen, last year�s runner up Antonio Gabica, and Austria�s Albin Ouschan all put in solid efforts today to advance. The Philippines veteran Ramil Gallego, who lives in Japan, took hall of famer Ralf Souquet to the brink and squeaked by at the wire, 11-10, sending the German great home earlier than anyone expected.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the entire day happened at about the same time on the other side of the arena. Dutch newcomer Marc Teutscher was hanging around defending champion Thorsten Hohmann for much of their tense match. But absolutely nobody could imagine the 22 year old, playing in his very first world championship, could overtake the great German. But Teutscher kept battling away and after trailing for most of the match, finally took a late lead and held off Hohmann with some amazing pressure shots to pull off a shock win, 11-9.

Teutscher�s win was the perfect ending to an amazing day in pool. With many of the sport�s biggest names sent packing, and the appearance of many new names, young sharp shooters, and grizzled veterans rising to the fore, the next two days are sure to see some unusual and exciting turn of events as pool crowns a new world champion.

The round of 32 begins Thursday at 11am Doha time, GMT +3.

2014 WPA WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
DOHA - QATAR
THE LAST 64 DRAW
Wang Can	11 : 9	Warren Kiamco
Raymund Faraon	11 : 5	Liu Cheng Chieh
Elmer D. Haya	11 : 4	Francisco Felicilda
Hijikata Hayato	11 : 6	Tanaka Masaaki
Waleed Majed	11 : 6	Lee Van Corteza
Darren Appleton	11 : 3	Daryl Peach
Konstantin Stepanov	11 : 8	Andreas Gerwen
Johann Chua	11 : 4	Daniele Corrieri
Mario He	11 : 9	Alex Pagulayan
Jeong Young Hwa	11 : 9	Jayson Shaw
Radoslaw Babica	11 : 3	Manuel Gama
Niels Feijen	11 : 4	Salaheldeen Al Rimawi
Carlo Biado	11 : 6	Mieszko Fortunski
Jason Klatt	11 : 6	Jeffrey De Luna
Naoyuki Oi	11 : 8	Dennis Orcollo
Ko Pin Yi	11 : 3	Sundeep Galati
Hsu Kai Lun	11 : 6	Fu Che Wei
Wu Jiaqing	11 : 4	Lo Li Wen
Stephan Cohen	11 : 5	Huidji See
Chand Yu Lung	11 : 9	Cheng Yu Hsuan
Shane Van Boening	11 : 9	Chang Jung Lin
Dang Jing Hu	11 : 6	Karl Boyes
Kuribayashi Tohru	11 : 9	Alexander Kazakis
Nick Economopoulos	11 : 5	Fabio Petroni
Antonio Gabica	11 : 7	Medhi Rasekhi
Ryu Seung Woo	11 : 9	Bruno Muratore
Roman Hybler	11 : 7	Mika Immonen
Albin Ouschan	11 : 5	Oliver Ortmann
Li He Wen	11 : 7	Dimitri Jungo
Marc Teutscher	11 : 9	Thorsten Hohmann
Nick van den Berg	11 : 8	Aloysius Yapp
Ramil Gallego	11 : 10	Ralf Souquet

2014 WPA WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
DOHA - QATAR
THE PRIZE FUND
1st	$ 30,000
2nd	$ 15,000
3rd ~ 4th	$ 7,500
5th ~ 8th	$ 5,000
9th ~ 16th	$ 3,000
17th ~ 32nd	$ 2,000
33rd ~ 64th	$ 1,500
65th ~ 96th	$ 500
97th ~ 128th	$ 0
TOTAL PRIZE FUND = US $200,000

WPA WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE WINNER'S LIST
1990 - 2013
1990	Earl Strickland	USA
1991	Earl Strickland	USA
1992	Johnny Archer	USA
1993	Fong-Pang Chao	TPE
1994	Takeshi Okumura	JPN
1995	Oliver Ortmann	GER
1996	Ralf Souquet	GER
1997	Johnny Archer	USA
1998	Kunihiko Takahashi	JPN
1999	Nick Varner	USA
1999	Efren Reyes	PHI
2000	Fong-Pang Chao	TPE
2001	Mika Immonen	FIN
2002	Earl Strickland	USA
2003	Thorsten Hohmann	GER
2004	Alex Pagulayan	CAN
2005	Chia-Ching Wu	TPE
2006	Ronnie Alcano	PHI
2007	Daryl Peach	GBR
2008	*Not held	---
2009	*Not held	---
2010	Francisco Bustamante	PHI
2011	Yukio Akakariyama	JPN
2012	Darren Appleton	GBR
2013	Thorsten Hohmann	GER
2014	---	---

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