With no upsets on the final day of the group stages yesterday, the 2018 World 9-ball Championship in Doha is all set for a cracking knockout stage of the tournament at the Al Arabi Sports Club today.
This means that the remaining 64 players, who begin a single elimination, race-to-11 format today comprise the best in professional pool. Over the next several days these greats of the game will duel it out for the most prestigious prize in the sport and a $40,000 top prize.
One of the most watched matches of the day was between Roland Garcia of the Philippines, a runner-up here last year, and American Billy Thorpe. The two stayed close throughout the first half of the match, splitting the first 8 racks. But Garcia pounced on several mistakes by Thorpe and then piled on the racks, winning 9-5. Garcia breathed a massive sigh of relief afterward because he had lost his very first match in Doha and had to win two straight to qualify.
In a battle of two former world champions, Germany’s Thorsten Hohmann took on China’s Wu Jiaqing, who was playing for Chinese Taipei when he won the title in 2005. Wu jumped out to a big early lead, 6-2, before the German mounted a brief fight back. But Hohmann admittedly let the match slip away with too many unforced errors, as Wu advanced 9-6.
It was a proud day for the Kuwaitis after Bader Alawadhi pulled off what could be the day’s biggest surprise when he shocked Spain’s David Alcaide 9-7. Omar Alshaheen also booked his spot in the knockout rounds with a handy 9-6 win over Bosnia’s Sanjin Pehlivanovic.
It was also a good day for Finland. Petri Makkonen advanced with his second straight win, after taking down Chang Yu Leung 9-6.
Casper Matikainen put a halt to Filipino Marlon Manalo’s comeback with an easy 9-2 victory.
Austria’s former world champion Albin Ouschan struggled early but qualified with a 9-5 win over Myanmar’s Aung Moe Thu. Fellow Austrian Maximilian Lechner put an end to the hopes of South African Jason Theron, winning 9-5 after an early struggle. Lebanon’s Mazen Berjaoui held his nerve with a break and runout in the final frame to beat the USA’s Hunter Lombardo, 9-8.
Canada’s John Morra looked very strong in his 9-3 win over American Tommy Tokoph. Venezuela’s Jalal al-Sarisi, who went all the way to the quarter-finals last year, also qualified after handily beating the Netherland’s Ivar Saris, 9-6.
Defending champion Carlo Biado will lead the charge in the knockouts for the Philippines along with four other players still in the draw.
The Taiwanese lead the way with nine players left, while there are six players from Poland.
As many as five players will attempt to win China’s first World 9-Ball Championship title. (WPA-Pool)