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Albin Is Ocean’s Apart – Finals report from the 2016 World 9-ball Championship

Austria’s Albin Ouschan wins the 2016 World 9-ball Championship with an emphatic 13-6 win over American Shane Van Boening. By Ted Lerner – WPA Press Officer Photos Courtesy of Vinod Divakaran/ Doha Stadium Plus (Doha, Qatar)–Austria’s Albin Ouschan knew coming into today’s semi-finals and finals at the World 9-ball Championship that just about everything in his personal and professional pool playing life was going just about perfect. But even he couldn’t have imagined the dream day he just conjured up on the way to winning pool’s most prestigious prize. After first blowing out Canada’s Alex Pagulayan in the semi-final, Ouschan came back to put an emphatic and somewhat shocking 13 – 6 drubbing on American Shane Van Boening to capture his first WPA World 9-ball championship in front of over 400 people at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha. The victory was all the more sweet for the 25 year old Austrian because just two years ago, he placed second to the Netherland’s Niels Feijen in this very same arena. Ouschan took that loss […]

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It’s Down To a Fantastic Four In Doha

Pagulayan, Ouschan, Van Boening and Cheng form an epic semi-final cast gunning for pool glory at the World 9-ball Championship. By Ted Lerner – WPA Press Officer Photos Courtesy of Bo Bader (Doha, Qatar)–After a week of what has arguably been one of the most highly competitive tournaments in World 9-ball Championship history, the field in Doha has been whittled down to what can only be described as the Fantastic Four. And if fans think the play so far has been more than stellar, wait until Thursday when action commences for the final sprint towards pool’s most prestigious prize. No matter which of the four corners one looks, fans will see greatness ready to do battle. In one Semi-final, Austria’s Albin Ouschan, a runner up here in Doha two years ago, the current China Open champion, and one of the planet’s best players, will clash with Canadian-Filipino veteran Alex Pagulayan. Pagulayan, a true master of the game, won this very event in Taiwan in 2004, and after fading away from pool for several years, has […]

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Shaw, Shane Go On The Offensive

Red hot Brit Jayson Shaw and American Shane Van Boening barge into the final 16 at the 2016 World 9-ball Championship. By Ted Lerner – WPA Press Officer Photos Courtesy of Bo Bader (Doha, Qatar)–After an unpredictable day of world class pool, the 2016 WPA World 9-ball Championship has come down to the last 16 competitors. From here the pressure and drama is guaranteed to be ramped up, as the remaining players can suddenly see the golden prize, pool’s ultimate and most prestigious crown. The round of 16 and the quarterfinals will take place on Wednesday. The semi-finals and final will be held on Thursday. And what a race to the mountain top of pool it will be. The final 16 still standing comprise an amazing mix of players from nearly every pool playing region. Some of those still present represent the current and old guard, while a slew of them embody the strong youth movement in the sport of pool. The only thing we know for sure is that we will crown a brand […]

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Fit, Fresh And Fabulous

Greece’s Nikos Ekonomopoulus plays perfect pool to book his place with 31 others in the knockout rounds at the World 9-ball Championship. By Ted Lerner – WPA Press Officer Photos Courtesy of Bo Bader (Doha, Qatar)–Misery and joy danced a sultry tango today at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha on Day 2 of the 2016 WPA World 9-ball Championship, as 32 players headed for the exits, while another 32 players booked their place in the final 64 knockout stage. As on Day 1, all 128 players saw action, but unlike the opening rounds, much more was at stake. All 32 losers-side matches in the group stage were do-or-die. All 32 winners-side matches offered the victor a massive sigh of relief, and a day off as they await the start of the single elimination knockout stage which begins on Tuesday. For the 64 players remaining in this year’s World 9-ball Championship, that means Monday is the dreaded Judgement Day, when every roll of the ball could spell the difference between a career defining run […]

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2016 World 9-Ball All Set To Kick Off In Qatar

Expect plenty of drama and excitement as 128 of pool’s best vie for the world title on the 25th anniversary of pool’s biggest event. By Ted Lerner – WPA Press Officer (Doha, Qatar)–The burning hot desert kingdom of Qatar is about to be set ablaze in sporting terms as the 25th edition of the WPA World 9-ball Championship breaks off July 30 at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha. This will be the seventh straight year that the tiny Gulf country, through the government sanctioned Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation(QBSF), has put its full backing behind the sport of pool’s biggest and most important event. Once again 128 players from over 40 countries will clash to see who will be crowned the king of 9-ball pool. In 24 previous editions dating back to 1990, the World 9-ball Championship has always provided the kind of nerve rattling drama that has captured the imagination of fans around the globe. It’s that kind of pressure cooker atmosphere that has always weeded out the pretenders to pool’s ultimate […]