Young German star joins 31 other players in the final 64 as the field is cut in half after Day 2.
By Ted Lerner
WPA Press Officer
(Doha, Qatar)–The action at the 2017 World 9-ball Championship picked up apace on Day 2, as 32 players out of the field of 128 were shown the exits, while another 32 punched their tickets to the Final 64 single elimination knockout stage.
The remaining 32 players to vie for pool’s most prestigious crown will be determined on Monday at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha. From there all eyes will be on the prize, as whoever wins six straight matches over three days will be crowned the new champion of the world in 9-ball come December 14th.
For those who hastily got their pink slips on Sunday, there wasn’t too much misery to speak of. This was due to the fact that most of the 32 players who took their second defeats really had no hope of making much noise in the first place. However, there were several shockers that still turned some heads throughout the pool world.
Mika Immonen is normally a player fans expect to make a run in big events. But the 44 year old Hall of Famer never seemed to get it together this week. In a do or die match against Korea’s Woo Seung Ryu, Immonen fell flat for the second day in a row, bowing out of the tournament in the group stage via a 9-5 score line.
Alex Pagulayan reached the semi-finals last year here in Doha, but 2017 in Doha turned out to be a stinker for the Fil-Canadian. The gregarious 39 year old fell to Lebanon’s Mohammad Berjawi , 9-7, and was knocked out barely after the proceedings had begun.
Other notable players who were shown the exits included China’s Wang Can, and Japan’s Toru Korubiyashi.
For the Americans, the 2017 campaign will go down as perhaps the worst in the illustrious 25 year history of the World 9-ball Championship. No big name American players bothered to make the trip to the Middle East this year. And the two that did, Hunter Lombardo and Robert Hart, both went two matches and out. This could be the first time in history that the last 64 of the World 9-ball Championship will not feature one single American player.
The field that is taking shape for the final 64 is, however, looking very deep indeed. One thing that is certainly quite apparent already is that the youth movement throughout the sport will continue and expand this week in Doha.
20 year old German Joshua Filler has been generating tons of excitement throughout the pool world lately. His incredible talent and devil-may-care shooting style has many proclaiming that the German youngster is destined to be the Ronnie O’Sullivan of the pool world. Despite a long trip from Vegas where he won the Mosconi Cup and captured the MVP prize for Team Europe, Filler hasn’t missed a beat here in Doha. On Sunday he played without a care in the world, first taking down Greece’s Damianos Giallourakis, 9-6, and then handily defeating China’s Kong Dejing by the same score for a spot in the final 64.
“I feel really exhausted and not quite the same,” Filler said after his second win. “I won both matches 9-6. I just have to improve my break and let’s see what happens over the next few days.
“You can’t really compare this to the Mosconi Cup where you play in front of 1500 people and millions at home. There is so much pressure because you play for your team and your country. Here I play more relaxed and there’s not too much pressure.
“Inside I feel very confident, I say to myself I’m the best player but I need that. I just play my best game and I want to win this world championship. At 20 years old it would be perfect. At the beginning of this year I had two dreams. One was to win the Mosconi Cup and the other was to win the World Championship.”
Another youngster grabbing a lot of attention is 19 year old Albanian Klenti Kaci. While the exact opposite of Filler in terms of speed and style, the talented Kaci always seems to find a way to win, no matter the opponent. On Sunday, the Albanian star defeated Chu Bingjie of China to qualify for the final 64.
In terms of countries, Taiwan easily had the best day on Sunday with six players qualifying for the final 64. World number one Chang Jung Lin, Chang Yu Lung, Ko Pin Yi, Ko Ping Chung, Lin Wu Kun and Chieh Liu Cheng all won their second straight matches to make the knockout rounds.
The Philippines is looking like it will send its usual armada to the knockout rounds. Carlo Biado, Jeffrey De Luna and Jeffrey Ignacio all won their second straight matches and qualified for the final 64. Warren Kiamco, Johann Chua, Francisco Felicilda, and Roland Garcia all lost on the winners side of their groups and will have one more chance on Monday to try and make the knockout rounds.
There will be Europeans aplenty in the final 64. Defending champion Albin Ouschan of Austria handily beat Taiwan’s Hsieh Chia Chen 9-5 to advance. Spain’s Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Russia’s Konstantin Stepanov, Sweden’s Fischer Sparrenlov, Greece’s Nikolas Malai and Alexander Kazakis, the Netherlands Marco Teutscher, Czech’s Roman Hybler, Polish veteran Radislaw Babica, and 19 year old Lithuanian Pijus Labutis all won their second matches to make the grade.
It was a good day for South America at the World 9-ball Championship. Venezuela’s Jalal Al Sarisi(Yousef) beat the Philippines Johann Chua 9-8 to advance. Peru will have its first ever player in the knockout rounds after Martines Gerson defeated Germany’s Andre Lackner 9-8.
Japan’s Naoyuki Oi barely squeaked by Canada’s John Morra, 9-8, to qualify. While compatriot Hayato Hijikata took down Estonia’s Dennis Grabe on the winners side to make the knockout rounds.
Play in the group stages continues at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha on Monday beginning at 10am Doha time(GMT +3). All matches will be do-or-die on the one loss side of the brackets. The winners will advance to the final 64, while the losers will be out of the tournament.
The Final 64, single elimination round begins on Tuesday Dec. 12. All matches will be a race to 11, alternate break. The final will be a race to 13, alternate break.
**The 2017 WPA World 9-ball Championship takes place at the Al Arabi Sports Club Sports Club in Doha, Qatar from December 5-15,2017
The winner of the 2017 World 9-ball Championship will receive $30,000. The runner up will receive $15,000. The total prize fund is $200,000.
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.
For live stream, live scoring and updated brackets, please go to the following links:
Live stream:
http://www.esnooker.pl/live/en/video_new.php?stol=1
Live scoring:
http://www.esnooker.pl/live/en/tsnew.php
Double Elimination Brackets:
http://www.esnooker.pl/…/2017/w9bc/en/show_drabinka_2KO.php
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.
The 2017 World 9-ball Championship is hosted by The Qatar Billiard and Snooker Federation(QBSF), and was sanctioned by the The World Pool Billiard Association, the governing body of the sport of pool.
Fans can interact with us through the WPA’s official Facebook Page for the event at this link;https://www.facebook.com/worldpoolbilliardassociation/
The WPA is also on Twitter; @poolwpa
Visit the official website of the WPA at www.wpapool.com
Day 2 Results, One loss side matches
Group 1
Jorge Llanos(ARG) 9 – 7 James Georgiadis(AUS)
Takhti Zarekani(IRA) 9 – 5 Kong Bu Hong(HKG)
Group 2
Hassan Zeraatgar(IRA) 9 – 6 Zine El Abidine Cherif(MOR)
Maung Maung(MYR) 9 – 6 Takano Tomoo(JPN)
Group 3
Junho Lee(KOR) 9 – 1 Mohamed El Raousti(ALG)
Woo Seung Ryu(KOR) 9 – 5 Mika Immonen(FIN)
Group 4
Majed Alazmi(Kuwait) 9 – 8 Jason Theron(RSA)
Teck Goh Chin(SIN) 9 – 4 Robert Hart(USA)
Group 5
Fawaz Al Rashedi(Kuwait) 9 – 3 Farahat Bouchaib(MOR)
Wojciech Szewczyk(POL) 9 – 6 Ahmed Tanvir(Bangladesh)
Group 6
Han Haoxiang(CHN) 9 – 4 Hunter Lombardo(USA)
Damianos Giallourakis(GRE) 9 – 2 Dharminder Lilly(IND)
Group 7
Mohammad Berjawi(LEB) 9 – 7 Alex Pagulayan(CAN)
Maksim Dudanets(RUS) 9 – 5 Aayush Kumar(IND)
Group 8
Lo Li Wen(TPE) 9 – 4 Tao Ying Duo(TPE)
Wiktor Zielinski(POL) 9 – 3 Mazin Berjawai(LEB)
Group 9
Mohammadali Pordel(IRA) 9 – 5 Abdulatif Alfawal(QAT)
Fedor Gorst(RUS) 9 – 7 Wang Can(CHN)
Group 10
Ali Alobaidli(QAT) 9 – 4 Ip Tung Pong(HKG)
Nguyen Anh Tuan(VET) 9 – 6 Ali Maghsoud(IRA)
Group 11
Waleed Majid(QAT) 9 – 2 Nadim Okbani(ALG)
Hiroshi Takenaka(JPN) 9 – 2 Mohammed Hassan(MAL)
Group 12
Mhanaa Alobaidli(QAT) 9 – 4 Hashim Ahusanu(MAL)
Henrique Correia(POR) 9 – 8 Toru Kuribayashi(JPN)
Group 13
Xu Xiao Cong(CHN) 9 – 2 Kong Hojun(KOR)
Samuel Santos(POR) 9 – 3 Osama Anga(LIB)
Group 14
Yu Li Si(TPE) 9 – 0 Abderrahmane Mebarki(ALG)
Thorsten Hohmann(GER) 9 – 6 Bashar Abdulmajeed(QAT)
Group 15
Daniel Tangudd(UKR) 9 – 3 Mohammed Alkhashawi(KUW)
Ariel Castro(ARG) 9 – 6 Yang Shing Shun(TPE)
Group 16
Israel Rota(PHI) 9 – 1 Jermiah Naidoo(RSA)
Abdullah Alyusef(KUW) 9 – 8 Meshaal Al Murdhi(KUW)
Day 2 results, Winner Side Matches
Group 1
Jung Lin Chang(TPE) 9 – 8 Francisco Felecilda(PHI)
Chang Yu Lung(TPE) 9 – 5 Mateusz Sniegocki(POL)
Group 2
Jalal Al Sarisi(VEN) 9 – 8 Johann Chua(PHI)
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz(ESP) 9 – 5 Mieszko Fortunski(POL)
Group 3
Jeffrey De Luna(PHI) 9 – 3 Muzammil Hussain(QAT)
Kwang Chan Keng(SIN) 9 – 7 Bader Alawadhi(KUW)
Group 4
Konstantin Stepanov(RUS) 9 – 7 Warren Kiamco(PHI)
Jeffrey Ignacio(PHI) 9 – 6 Dang Jinhu(CHN)
Group 5
Ko Pin Yi(TPE) 9 – 8 Luu Minh Phuc(VIE)
Fischer Sparrenlov(SWE) 9 – 8 Niels Feijen(HOL)
Group 6
Nikolas Malai(GRE) 9 – 7 Ahmad Naiem (JOR)
Joshua Filler(GER) 9 – 6 Kong Dejing(CHN)
Group 7
Lo Ho Sum(HKG) 9 – 7 Yukio Akagariyam(JPN)
Maximilian Lechner(AUT) 9 – 5 Roland Garcia(PHI)
Group 8
Hoang Duong Quoc(VIE) 9 – 8 Mario He(AUT)
Martin Daigle(CAN) 9 – 7 Keven Cheng(TPE)
Group 9
Albin Ouschan(AUT) 9 – 5 Hsieh Chia Chen(TPE)
Liu Haitao(CHN) 9 – 5 Chih Nien Rong(TPE)
Group 10
Roman Hybler(CZE) 9 – 7 Ralf Souquet(GER)
Tomasz Kaplan(POL) 9 – 8 Ruslan Chinakov(RUS)
Group 11
Alexander Kazakis(GRE) 9 – 7 Sebastian Ludwig(GER)
Klenti Kaci(ALB) 9 – 6 Chu Bingjie(CHN)
Group 12
Radoslaw Babica(POL) 9 – 4 David Alcaide(ESP)
Ko Ping Chung(TPE) 9 – 5 Md Al Amin(BAN)
Group 13
Carlo Biado(PHI) 9 – 4 Richard Halliday(RSA)
Hayato Hijikata(JPN) 9 – 4 Dennis Grabe(EST)
Group 14
Lin Wu Kun(TPE) 9 – 7 Petri Makkonen(FIN)
Pijus Labutis(LIT) 9 – 4 Abdulkhizar Hasanin(IRQ)
Group 15
Naoyuki Oi(JPN) 9 – 8 John Morra(CAN)
Marco Teutscher(NED) 9 – 2 Wu Jiaqing(CHN)
Group 16
Chieh Liu Cheng(TPE) 9 – 7 Konrad Juszczyszyn(POL)
Martines Gerson(PER) 9 – 8 Andre Lackner(GER)
