2007 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Championship

Summary

The 2007 World Nine-ball Championship was the 18th annual international nine-ball pool tournament for men sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). It was held at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines from 3–11 November 2007. It was the second consecutive time the tournament has been held in the Philippines.

2007 WPA World 9-Ball Championship
Tournament details
CountryPhilippines
CityPasay
Venue(s)International Convention Center
Dates3–11 November 2007 (2007-11-03 – 2007-11-11)
FormatDouble elimination / Single elimination
Participants128
Final positions
ChampionsEngland Daryl Peach
Runner-upPhilippines Roberto Gomez
← 2006
2010 →

The tournament is sponsored by Matchroom Sport, which has sponsored the event since 1999. 128 participants from 46 WPA member countries competed for US$400,000 in total prize money, including defending champion Ronato Alcano of the Philippines. The overall winner received a purse of $100,000, the highest-ever payout for the tournament.

Format edit

The Format of qualifying used on 2006 was used for 2007. Several last-minute qualifying tournaments were held in the Metro Manila area a few weeks before the tournament starts.

All matches are in winner's break: the winner of the previous rack will break on the next rack, it was reverted from alternate break used in 2006.

There are 32 seeded players prior to the group stages; they are distributed 2 per group. The defending champion, Ronnie Alcano, is seeded #1.

Also, a double-elimination tournament will be used for the group stages; instead of 32 groups of 4, there will be 16 groups of eight, with the top four advancing. Each player will be seeded 1–8 in their groups, with a routine double-elimination tournament following the first round; however the player that wins twice will advance to the quarterfinals and will not take part in other group matches, in contrast if a player loses two games, he is eliminated. The top four players in each group therefore would have won twice. After the group stages, the routine 64-man single elimination tournament follows.[citation needed]

In the initial group stages the format consists of races to 9 racks. The last 64 play races to 10 racks. This is followed by the round of 16 (quarterfinals and semifinals) where the races are to 11 racks. The race in the finals jumps to 17 racks.[1]

Notable occurrences edit

  • On day 1, a group match (race to 9) between Charles Williams and Ricky Yang took over 2 and half hours to complete, with both players accused of playing too slowly. Calls were made for moves to outlaw overly-slow play in future years.
  • On day 3, Jeremy Jones of the U.S. and Finland's Mika Immonen almost came to blows after Immonen eliminated Jones from contention, 9–6 at the group stages.[2]
  • There was high drama on day 4, Tuesday afternoon at the Big Dome when fire broke out in the lighting rig over Table 5 on the upper tier. Each of the outside tables has a light box with fluorescent tubes that light the table and a short circuit sent sparks flying and before long the box was ablaze. Matchroom Sport's John McDonald alerted venue staff and only his quick thinking saved the table as he and cameraman Lawrence 'Lol' Lustig covered it to stop debris and foam raining down onto the felt. Before long temporary lights were installed and play was able to commence at the designated time.
  • On the quarterfinals, Francisco Bustamante, leading Daryl Peach 10–9 in a race to 11 match, failed to play position on the 3-ball and snookered himself behind the 9-ball. A kick shot struck both the 3 and 9 balls, fluking the 9 into a corner pocket. With the player and crowd celebrating the win, a lengthy inquiry began, in which the referee and tournament officials studied frame-by-frame replays of the shot, before concluding that the 9 had been struck first, and the shot was therefore a foul. After the lengthy break in play, in which Bustamante insisted the shot had been legal, Peach held his nerve amongst a partisan Filipino crowd to run the last two racks of the match to win 11–10, en route to his World Championship victory the following day.

Players edit

By nation edit

The WPA considered the home nations of England and Scotland as separate entities for the tournament and the codes of "ENG" and "SCO" was subsequently shown in the TV broadcast instead of "GBR."[3]

Champion
Runner-up
Semifinals
Quarterfinals
Last 16
Last 32
Last 64
Group stages
  • 15 players: Philippines
  • 14 players: Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
  • 11 players: United States
  • 7 players: Germany
  • 6 players: Canada and England
  • 5 players: Japan
  • 4 players: Australia
  • 3 players: China, Holland (Netherlands), Indonesia, Italy, Poland, Scotland, Serbia and Singapore.
  • 2 players: Chile, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Spain and Vietnam.
  • 1 player: Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eritrea, Finland, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Malta, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Qatar, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey and UAE

Seeded edit

Unseeded players who advanced to the round of 64 edit

Player boldfaced made it to the final.

Group stage edit

Group 1 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Ronnie Alcano9
  Saeed Ahmed Al-Mutawa3
  Ronnie Alcano9
  Harold Stolka1
  Alex Lely8
  Harald Stolka9
  Xu Meng6
  Charles Williams9
  Charles Williams9
  Ricky Yang8
  Ricky Yang9
  Brady Gollan4
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Alex Lely9
  Saeed Ahmed Al-Mutawa3  Ricky Yang8
  Alex Lely9
  Brady Gollan3
  Xu Meng3  Harold Stolka9
  Brady Gollan9

Group 2 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Ralf Souquet5
  Leonardo Andam9
  Leonardo Andam9
  Raj Hundal8
  Bernard Tey Choon Kiat4
  Raj Hundal9
  Mike Davis5
  James Delahunty9
  James Delahunty9
  Ronnie Wiseman8
  Ronnie Wiseman9
  Tepwin Arunnath7
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Ralf Souquet9
  Ralf Souquet9  Ronnie Wiseman3
  Bernard Tey Choon Kiat6
  Mike Davis5
  Mike Davis9  Raj Hundal9
  Tepwin Arunnath5

Group 3 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Wu Chia-ching9
  Carlos Castro4
  Wu Chia-ching7
  Vilmos Foldes9
  Radosław Babica8
  Vilmos Foldes9
  Chu Hung-ming9
  Craig Osborne8
  Chu Hung-ming6
  Luong Chi-dung9
  Luong Chi-dung9
  Kusano Hisashi8
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Radosław Babica9
  Carlos Castro7  Chu Hung-ming8
  Radosław Babica9
  Craig Osborne4
  Craig Osborne9  Wu Chia-ching9
  Kusano Hisashi8

Group 4 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Yang Ching-shun5
  Lu Hui-chan4
  Lu Hui-chan9
  Antonio Gabica3
  Bruno Muratore1
  Antonio Gabica9
  Ibrahim Bin Amir8
  Joven Bustamante9
  Joven Bustamante9
  Jonni Fulcher7
  Jonni Fulcher9
  Enrique Rojas3
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Yang Ching-shun9
  Yang Ching-shun9  Jonni Fulcher0
  Bruno Muratore6
  Ibrahim Bin Amir6
  Ibrahim Bin Amir9  Antonio Gabica9
  Enrique Rojas9

Group 5 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Thorsten Hohmann3
  Ko Pin-yi9
  Ko Pin-yi9
  Serge Das3
  Edwin Montal3
  Serge Das9
  Jeff De Luna9
  Sandor Tot5
  Jeff De Luna9
  Fu Che-wei1
  Fu Che-wei9
  Vittorio De Falco8
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Edwin Montal1
  Thorsten Hohmann9  Fu Che-wei9
  Edwin Montal6
  Sandor Tot4
  Sandor Tot9  Serge Das9
  Vittorio De Falco7

Group 6 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Efren Reyes2
  Kenichi Uchigaki9
  Kenichi Uchigaki9
  Alain Martel3
  Liu Cheng-chuan3
  Alain Martel9
  Tony Robles0
  Tomasz Kapłan9
  Tomasz Kapłan4
  Tony Drago9
  Tony Drago9
  Ceri Worts7
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Efren Reyes9
  Efren Reyes9  Tomasz Kapłan4
  Liu Cheng-chuan6
  Ceri Worts6
  Tony Robles7  Alain Martel9
  Ceri Worts9

Group 7 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Chang Jung-ling9
  Alwi6
  Chang Jung-ling1
  Ramil Gallego9
  Chan Keng Kwang4
  Ramil Gallego9
  Nick van den Berg9
  John Morra7
  Nick van den Berg9
  Dang Jinhu3
  Dang Jinhu9
  Kazuo Furuta3
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Chan Keng Kwang9
  Alwi5  Dang Jinhu4
  Chan Keng Kwang9
  Kazuo Furuta6
  John Morra2  Chang Jung-ling9
  Kazuo Furuta9

Group 8 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Alex Pagulayan9
  Hamza Mohammed Saeed Ali0
  Alex Pagulayan9
  Martin Kempter6
  Martin Kempter9
  Robb Saez1
  Muhammad Zulfikri9
  Philipp Stojanovic5
  Muhammad Zulfikri9
  David Alcaide1
  David Alcaide9
  Stephen Capaldi0
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Robb Saez9
  Hamza Mohammed Saeed Ali4  David Alcaide4
  Robb Saez9
  Philipp Stojanovic6
  Philipp Stojanovic9  Martin Kempter9
  Stephen Capaldi3

Group 9 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Francisco Bustamante9
  Zbynek Vaic4
  Francisco Bustamante9
  Jeong Young-hwa0
  Jeong Young-hwa9
  Antonio Lining8
  Oliver Ortmann9
  Pham Tuan Ngoc1
  Oliver Ortmann9
  Corey Deuel6
  Corey Deuel9
  John Wims3
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Antonio Lining7
  Zbynek Vaic4  Corey Deuel9
  Antonio Lining9
  Pham Tuan Ngoc9
  Pham Tuan Ngoc9  Jeong Young-hwa7
  John Wims3

Group 10 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Thomas Engert9
  Al-Muhtadee Billah2
  Thomas Engert9
  Roman Hybler2
  Roman Hybler9
  Lee Chenman7
  Kuo Po-cheng9
  David Alcoberro3
  Kuo Po-cheng4
  Louis Condo9
  Imran Majid5
  Louis Condo9
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Lee Chenman3
  Al-Muhtadee Billah4  Kuo Po-cheng9
  Lee Chenman9
  Imran Majid9
  David Alcoberro9  Roman Hybler8
  Imran Majid3

Group 11 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Konstantin Stepanov9
  Alejandro Carvajal4
  Konstantin Stepanov9
  Rye Seung-woo2
  Rye Seung-woo9
  Bahram Lotfy4
  Kuo Marco Tschudi9
  Kevin Uzzell4
  Marco Tschudi9
  Rodney Morris5
  Rodney Morris9
  David Reljic0
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Bahram Lotfy9
  Alejandro Carvajal8  Rodney Morris4
  Bahram Lotfy9
  David Reljic6
  Kevin Uzzell8  Rye Seung-woo9
  David Reljic9

Group 12 edit

PreliminariesQualifiers
  Mika Immonen9
  Fahad Mohammadi3
  Mika Immonen9
  Jeremy Jones6
  Tyler Edey8
  Jeremy Jones9
  Chang Pei-wei6
  Karl Boyes9
  Karl Boyes9
  Goran Mladenovic4
  Lee Van Corteza7
  Goran Mladenovic9
1st playoff round2nd playoff round
  Tyler Edey7
  Fahad Mohammadi0  Goran Mladenovic9
  Tyler Edey9
  Lee Van Corteza9
  Chang Pei-wei4  Jeremy Jones4
  Lee van Corteza9

Knockout stages edit

Section 1 edit

Last 64
Race to 10
Nov 7
Last 32
Race to 10
Nov 8
Last 16
Race to 11
Nov 9
Quarterfinals
Race to 11
Nov 10
            
1   Alcano 6
17   Peach 10
17   Peach 10
  Lee 7
  Lee 10
  Hundal 6
17   Peach 11
  Stolka 5
  Erculj 3
  Stolka 10
  Stolka 10
  Wu Y-L 2
  Andam 5
  Wu Y-L 10
17   Peach 11
9   F Bustamante 10
9   F Bustamante 10
25   Alcaide 1
9   F Bustamante 10
  van den Berg 8
  van den Berg 10
23   Majid 4
9   F Bustamante 11
8   Pagulayan 2
8   Pagulayan 10
  Pham 6
8   Pagulayan 10
  Condo 2
  Condo 10
  Kwang 2

Section 2 edit

Last 64
Race to 10
Nov 7
Last 32
Race to 10
Nov 8
Last 16
Race to 11
Nov 9
Quarterfinals
Race to 11
Nov 10
            
  Ko 8
  Mladenovic 10
  Mladenovic 2
  Martel 10
  Tschudi 4
  Martel 10
  Martel 8
12   Immonen 11
12   Immonen 10
28   Fu 5
12   Immonen 10
27   Drago 6
27   Drago 10
  Lofty 7
12   Immonen 7
  Földes 11
13   Van Boening 10
  Gabica 7
13   Van Boening 8
  Földes 10
  Földes 10
  Dabovic 2
  Földes 11
  Lu 5
  Lu 10
  Chamat 6
  Lu 10
  Babica 3
  Manalo 1
  Babica 10

Section 3 edit

Last 64
Race to 10
Nov 7
Last 32
Race to 10
Nov 8
Last 16
Race to 11
Nov 9
Quarterfinals
Race to 11
Nov 10
            
30   Luong 10
  Strickland 8
30   Luong 3
  Kawabata 10
  Kawabata 10
4   Yang 3
  Kawabata 9
  J Bustamante 11
19   Petroni 9
3   Wu C-C 10
3   Wu C-C 8
  J Bustamante 10
  J Bustamante 10
  Orcollo 6
  J Bustamante 8
  Boyes 11
11   Stepanov 10
6   Reyes 5
11   Stepanov 10
  de Luna 4
  de Luna 10
21   Corteza 7
11   Stepanov 4
  Boyes 11
  Uchigaki 7
  Rye 10
  Rye 8
  Boyes 10
  Boyes 10
  Tot 6

Section 4 edit

Last 64
Race to 10
Nov 7
Last 32
Race to 10
Nov 8
Last 16
Race to 11
Nov 9
Quarterfinals
Race to 11
Nov 10
            
  Gallego 5
  Kuo 10
  Kuo 10
  Ortmann 7
  Ortmann 10
  Stojanovic 7
  Kuo 11
24   Deuel 7
10   Engert 7
7   Chang 10
7   Chang 9
24   Deuel 10
  Zulfikri 4
24   Deuel 10
  Kuo 4
    Gomez 11
  Oi 8
2   Souquet 10
2   Souquet 2
16   Feijen 10
  Williams 7
16   Feijen 10
16   Feijen 0
  Gomez 11
  Delahunty 0
18   Chao 10
18   Chao 2
  Gomez 10
  Gomez 10
  Lely 1

Semifinals and final edit

Semi-finals
Race to 11
Nov 10
Final
Race to 17
Nov 11
      
 17    Peach 11
    Földes 2
 17    Peach 17
    Gomez 15
    Boyes 4
    Gomez 11

Country representation edit

Country Last 64 Last 32 Last 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
  England 4 2 2 2 2 1
  Philippines 13 5 4 3 1 1
  Hungary 1 1 1 1 1 -
  Chinese Taipei 10 7 2 1 - -
  Finland 1 1 1 1 - -
  Germany 4 3 1 - - -
  United States 4 2 1 - - -
  Netherlands 3 2 1 - - -
  Japan 3 1 1 - - -
  Canada 1 1 1 - - -
  Russia 1 1 1 - - -
  Serbia 3 1 - - - -
  Australia 2 1 - - - -
  Vietnam 2 1 - - - -
  Malta 1 1 - - - -
  Poland 1 1 - - - -
  South Korea 1 1 - - - -
Other countries 9 - - - - -

Final edit

November 11 Daryl Peach   17–15   Roberto Gomez Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City
Referee: Michaela Tabb

References edit

  1. ^ FSN New York broadcast of 2007 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Championship (aired January 3, 2008) (highlights from group 6). On screen diagram of race format. Viewed on January 3, 2008
  2. ^ Bustamante waltzes to Last 64 slot[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ 2007 World Pool Championship website Archived 2012-09-19 at archive.today -- note the use of "England" and "Scotland" instead of "Great Britain" or "United Kingdom"

External links edit

  • Official website