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2011 WPA World Nine-ball Championship

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2011 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
The official logo for the event
Tournament information
SportNine-ball
LocationAl Sadd Sports Club
Doha, Qatar
DatesJune 21, 2011–July 1, 2011
Tournament
format(s)
Double elimination / Single elimination
Host(s)WPA World Nine-ball Championship
Participants128
Final positions
ChampionJapan Yukio Akakariyama
Runner-upPhilippines Ronnie Alcano
← 2010
2012 →

The 2011 WPA World Nine-ball Championship (also referred to as the 2011 World Pool Championship) was a professional nine-ball pool tournament held from June 25 to July 1, 2011 at the Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha, Qatar. A series of qualifying tournaments were held from June 21 to 23. The competition was the 2011 edition of the WPA World Nine-ball Championship, which was first held in 1990. The event was organized by the World Pool-Billiard Association and Matchroom Sport.

The defending champion was Filipino Francisco Bustamante who had defeated Kuo Po-cheng in the final of the 2010 WPA World Nine-ball Championship 13–7. Bustamante lost to Dennis Orcullo in the last 32. Japanese Yukio Akakariyama defeated Ronnie Alcano of the Philippines 13–11 in the final to become the first Japanese world pool champion since 1998 when Takahashi Kunihiko defeated Johnny Archer. The event featured a prize fund of $250,000 with the winner receiving $30,000.

Overview

The WPA World Nine-ball Championship was a professional nine-ball pool championship, organized and promoted by the World Pool-Billiard Association and Matchroom Sport.[1][2] The event was held in the headquarters of the Qatari Billiard and Snooker Federation at the Al Sadd Sports Club in Doha, Qatar.[2] The championships were held between June 25 to July 1, 2011 for 128 competitors.[3] The event featured 116 invited players, as well as a series of three qualifying events from June 21 to 23 for the remaining 12.[3]

The event was played with alternating breaks, and matches were a races-to-nine racks. The winner of the lag breaks for the first rack and every odd-numbered rack thereafter, including the final rack if needed.[3] The 128 participants were split into 16 groups of 8 players, competing in a double elimination tournament.[4] When 64 players remained, the event changed to a single elimination tournament, with matches being a race-to-11 racks, except for the final which is race-to-13.[3] The defending champion of the event was Francisco Bustamante, who had won the 2010 final defeating Kuo Po-cheng 13–7.[5]

Prize fund

The event featured a prize fund of $250,000, with the winner receiving $36,000,[6] the same as that of the 2010 event.[7] A breakdown in prize money can be seen below:[6]

  • Winner: $36,000
  • Runner-up: $18,000
  • Semi-finalist: $10,000
  • Quarter-finalist: $6,000
  • Last 16: $4,000
  • Last 32: $2,500
  • Last 64: $2,000
  • Group stage: $500
  • Total: $250,000

Tournament summary

Double-elimination round

The double-elimination stage took place between June 21–25, consisting of four rounds.[3] A first round match between Efren Reyes and Mark Gray went to a deciding rack. Gray led 6–2 at the start of the match, but Reyes tied the score at 7–7. Reyes later reached the hill ahead at 8–7, but lost position on the next rack to allow Gray to tie the match at hill-hill. Reyes sank a ball on the break and cleared the table to win the match 9–8.[8] The defending champion Francisco Bustamante led fellow Filipino player Caneda Villamor 5–2. Villamor, who works in Saudi Arabia as a pool instructor, cut Bustamante's lead to 6–5 when the match turned into a battle of safety shots.[8] Bustamante made a combination shot between the 6-ball and the 9-ball in rack 16 to win 9–7.[8] The 2010 runner-up Kuo Po-cheng also won 9–7 in his first round match.[8][9]

The second day featured matches from the first and second rounds. Fillipinos world number two Ronnie Alcano and world number three Antonio Lining defeated Hamzah al-Saeed 9–5, and Liu Cheng-Cheih 9-4 respectively in the first round.[10] The 1995 champion Oliver Ortmann,[11] lost his opening match to Japanese player Tohru Kuribayashi 6–9.[10] Qualifier Mohammad al-Hazmi defeated world number 24 Nguyen Phuc Long 9–6; where he would play Daryl Peach who defeated Keng Kwang Chan 9–5.[10] Qatar's number one, Mohanna Obaidly had lost his first round matches, but defeated Andrew Kong of Hong Kong in the loser's second round. Mark Gray trailed 2-7 but won 7 racks in-a-row to win 9–7.[10] Two matches went to a deciding rack; both Radosław Babica and Yukio Akakariyama defeated Raymund Faron and Mohammed Al Bin Ali 9-8 respectively.[10][12]

The 2005 winner Wu Jia-qing lost twice in the double-elimination round

Third day was devoted to second round matches. Winners in the winners' bracket advanced to the Round of 64, while those in the losers' bracket winners played the winners' bracket losers the following day.[3][12] All Filipino players in the winners' bracket won their matches to advance to the Round of 64; WPA world number one Dennis Orcollo, Reyes, Bustamante, Oliver Medenilla, Jeffery de Luna, Alan Cuartero, Ronnie Alcano and Antonio Lining all won their matches and qualified for the knockout round.[13] The 2006 WPA World Nine-ball Championship winner Alcano had to win a deciding rack to defeat Radosław Babica of Poland, while Cuartero, an overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait, defeated Marcus Chamat of Sweden.[13] Shane Van Boening, one of only two Americans in the tournament, defeated 2005 champion Wu Jia-qing. Wu led 2–0, then went on the hill at 8–6. Van Boening evened the match and held on to win on the final rack.[13][14]

Fourth day was devoted to second round matches in the losers' bracket, with winners progressing, and losers being eliminated.[12] All home Qatari players were eliminated from contention in the group stage: Mohanna Obaidly was beaten by Konstantin Stepanov 3–9, Taher Hussain lost to Tōru Kuribayashi [de] 1–9, Waleed Majid was defeated by Hunter Lombardo 8–9, while Fawal Abdulatif lost to Naoyuki Ōi 9–6.[15] The match between Antonio Gabica and Fu Jian-bo finished 9–8. The Qatar-based Gabica had a 6–1 lead but the Chinese won the next four racks. Gabica was the first on the hill but Fu won the next three racks. Gabica won the deciding rack to advance to the knockout stage.[15] Ko Ping-chung and Kwang Yong exchanged leads in their match, until Yong pulled ahead 7–4. Ko tied the match at 7–7 and won next two racks to qualify to the next round.[13] Former two-time world champion Wu Jia-qing was beaten by Mariusz Skoneczny. The match was level at 8-8; but Wu missed the 8-ball allowing Skoneczny to pot the last two balls and win 9–8.[15]

Knockout rounds

Early rounds (last 64–last 16)

Francisco Bustamante playing an exhibition shot with the cue behind his back
Defending champion Francisco Bustamante lost in the last 16 to Dennis Orcullo

The tournament changed to a single elimination tournament from June 29 to July 1.[1] The Round of 64 was played on June 29. Efren Reyes was defeated by fellow Filipinos Villamor 11–5.[16] Antonio Gabica led Mika Immonen 4–1 and 10–6 when he scratched in rack 17 allowing Immonen to win the next four racks to go hill-hill. The deciding rack emerged as a safety battle until Gabica pocketed the 1-ball, and ran the rack to win 11–10.[16] Kuo Po-cheng led Mark Gray 10–6 but Gray won five racks in-a-row to win 11–10.[17] Gray drew fellow Brit Chris Melling who beat Korean Hwang Yong.[16] Francisco Bustamante defeated Sascha-Andrej Tege 11–4.[16]

In the last 32 played on the June 30, Francisco Bustamante was leading 9–4 against Riyan Setiawan when he was reportedly distracted by a press photographer, causing him to lose his composure.[18] Setiawan won three of the next four to trail 10–7, but won the next three to take the match to a decider. Bustamante had the break, before a safety battle ensued. Riyan scratched and Bustamante ran out to advance to the last 16.[19] In an all-Filipino match, Carlo Biado led Lee Van Corteza 8–5; however Corteza won the next four frames to lead 9–8. In rack 18, Corteza missed a shot at the 9-ball, with Biado winning the remaining racks to win 11–9.[19]

Also played on June 30, in the last-16, Shane Van Boening, the only American left in the field, led against England's Darren Appleton 6–3. Appleton tied the match at 6–6, then took the lead 7–6. The two exchanged leads when Appleton reached the hill first, but van Boening tied when he made a jump shot on the 5-ball in rack 20. In the deciding rack, van Boening made a safety in which Appleton studied for ten minutes. Appleton missed, but there was no clear shot as Van Boening studied the ball for several minutes before making the shot and ran out for the win.[20] The 2007 champion Daryl Peach defeated Ko Pin-yi, after trailing 9-7 won four racks-in-a-row.[21] Defending champion Francisco Bustamante, who had only five minutes between matches,[18] lost 11–6 to Dennis Orcullo.[20] In other matches, Yukio Akakariyama eliminated Carlo Biado, whilst Tōru Kuribayashi defeated Antonio Lining.[20]

Later rounds (quarter-finals–final)

The quarter-finals to the final were all played on the last day of competition, July 1.[22] In the quarter-finals, Dennis Orcullo led 5–0 against Daryl Peach early in the match, and later won 11–2.[22] Mark Gray played Shane van Boening and held a 4–0 lead before van Boening won five racks in-a-row to lead 5–4.[22] Gray then won the next four racks and led 10–6. Van Boening won the next three frames, but in rack 20, but missed a shot using the bridge. The two took their time studying the shot on the nine-ball, but van Boening made an errant safety allowing Gray to capitalize and win the match.[22] Tōru Kuribayashi trailed Ronnie Alcano 7–3 but won five of the next six to level the match at 8-8, which later became 10-10. Kuribayashi broke for the game but the two got locked in a safety battle. After a fluke on the 3-ball, Alcano ran the rack to win 11–10.[22]

Ronato Alcano ready to play a shot
The 2006 champion Ronato Alcano lost in the final of the event

Yukio Akakariyama lead Vinacio Tanio throughout the match, until 8-8 when he lost the next rack to trail 9–8, and 10–9, but the match went to a decider after a break and run. Tanio broke in rack 21, but ran out of position on the 8-ball. He sank the 8-ball but then faced on another difficult shot on the 9-ball. Tanio missed and Akakariyama faced on a table's length shot on the 9-ball. Akakariyama took more than ten minutes to study the shot before potting it to win 11–10.[22]

The first semi-final saw Orcullo face Alcano.[23] Alcano won the first two racks, and remained at least two racks ahead throughout, as he led 8-4 and 10–6. Orcullo won three racks in-a-row, before Alcano won rack 20 to win 11–9.[24] After the match, Alcano said that his game had improved due to no longer having a manager, but instead working with Manny Pacquiao, a Filipino boxer commenting "all I need is just a little bit of Manny's good fortune and I can win the World Championship. I just have to win one more match."[24] The second semi-final went to a deciding rack between Yukio Akagariyama and Mark Gray. Yukio led 6-2 and 8-3 before Gray won five racks in-a-row to level the match at 8-8. In rack 17, Gray attempted a bank shot on the 9-ball, but missed, allowing Yukio to win the rack and then the next to go 10-8 ahead. Gray won the next two racks, and had the break in rack 21. On his break, the cue ball scratched allowing Yukio to clear the table to win 11–10.[24]

The final was played at 7p.m. local time (GMT+3), as a race-to-13 racks with an alternating break between Yukio and Alcano.[25] The lag was won by Alcano, and the racks were won on break until rack nine, with Yukio taking a 5–4 lead.[26] He also won the next frame after a failed jump shot by Alcano.[26] Breaking to have a three rack lead, Yukio went in-off when potting the 9-ball allowing Alcano to win the rack. Yukio won the next two to take a 9–6 lead, but Alcano won three in-a-row to tie the match at 9-9. In rack 19, Alcano missed a shot on the 8-ball that traveled the length of the table, and Yukio won the next two to lead 11–9. Alcano tied the match with some safety play in the next two racks for 11-11.[25][26] Breaking in rack 23, Alcano missed a shot on the 2-ball into the middle pocket, with Yukio running the rest of the rack. Yukio broke in rack 24, but ran the balls in order to win 13–11.[25][26]

Knockout stage

The knockout draw from the last 64 stages can be seen below. Players in bold denote match winners.[27]

Upper half

Section 1

Round of 64
(Race to 11) 		Round of 32
(Race to 11) 		Round of 16
(Race to 11)
         
Germany Ralf Souquet 11
Belgium Serge Das 5
Germany Ralf Souquet 11
Poland Mariusz Skoneczny 2
Poland Radosław Babica 7
Poland Mariusz Skoneczny 11
Germany Ralf Souquet 9
Philippines Vicenancio Tanio 11
Germany Thorsten Hohmann 7
Japan Lo Li-wen 11
Japan Lo Li-wen 6
Philippines Vicenancio Tanio 11
Netherlands Nick van den Berg 7
Philippines Vicenancio Tanio 11

Section 2

Round of 64
(Race to 11) 		Round of 32
(Race to 11) 		Round of 16
(Race to 11)
         
Croatia Carlo Dalmatin 11
Chinese Taipei Hsu Kai Lun 7
Croatia Carlo Dalmatin 8
Japan Yukio Akakariyama 11
Japan Yukio Akakariyama 11
Iran Soheil Vahedi 7
Japan Yukio Akakariyama 11
Philippines Carlo Biado 9
Philippines Oliver Medenilla 5
Philippines Lee Van Corteza 11
Philippines Lee Van Corteza 10
Philippines Carlo Biado 11
Philippines Carlo Biado 11
Iran Takhti Zarekani 6

Section 3

Round of 64
(Race to 11) 		Round of 32
(Race to 11) 		Round of 16
(Race to 11)
         
Finland Mika Immonen 10
Philippines Antonio Gabica 11
Philippines Antonio Gabica 11
Japan Naoyuki Ōi 6
England Imran Majid 4
Japan Naoyuki Ōi 11
Philippines Antonio Gabica 5
England Mark Gray 11
England Chris Melling 11
South Korea Hwang Yong 2
England Chris Melling 10
England Mark Gray 11
Chinese Taipei Kuo Po-Cheng 10
England Mark Gray 11

Section 4

Round of 64
(Race to 11) 		Round of 32
(Race to 11) 		Round of 16
(Race to 11)
         
England Darren Appleton 11
China Dang Jinhu [de] 6
England Darren Appleton 11
Philippines Alan Cuartero 4
Philippines Alan Cuartero 11
Brunei Ahmad Taufiq Murni 9
England Darren Appleton 10
United States Shane Van Boening 11
United States Shane Van Boening 11
Russia Konstantin Stepanov 8
United States Shane Van Boening 11
Chinese Taipei Chang Jun Lin 5
Chinese Taipei Chang Jun Lin 11
Philippines Joven Alba 5

Lower half

Section 5

Round of 64
(Race to 11) 		Round of 32
(Race to 11) 		Round of 16
(Race to 11)
         
Canada Chris Orme 7
Philippines Ronnie Alcano 11
Philippines Ronnie Alcano 11
England Raj Hundal 9
England Raj Hundal 11
Japan Tomoo Takano 10
Philippines Ronnie Alcano 11
Chinese Taipei Chang Yu-lung 5
Chinese Taipei Chang Yu-lung 11
Philippines Israel Rota 9
Chinese Taipei Chang Yu-lung 11
England Scott Higgins 4
Netherlands Niels Feijen 10
England Scott Higgins 11

Section 6

Round of 64
(Race to 11) 		Round of 32
(Race to 11) 		Round of 16
(Race to 11)
         
Philippines Antonio Lining 11
Germany Oliver Ortmann 5
Philippines Antonio Lining 11
Poland Roman Hybler 5
Poland Roman Hybler 11
China Liu Haitao 7
Philippines Antonio Lining 9
Japan Tōru Kuribayashi [de] 11
Austria Mario He 8
United States Hunter Lombardo 11
United States Hunter Lombardo 4
Japan Tōru Kuribayashi [de] 11
Netherlands Huidji See 8
Japan Tōru Kuribayashi [de] 11

Section 7

Round of 64
(Race to 11) 		Round of 32
(Race to 11) 		Round of 16
(Race to 11)
         
Philippines Dennis Orcullo 11
Indonesia Muhammad Zulfikri 9
Philippines Dennis Orcullo 11
Philippines Caneda Villamor 6
Philippines Efren Reyes 5
Philippines Caneda Villamor 11
Philippines Dennis Orcullo 11
Philippines Francisco Bustamante 7
Philippines Francisco Bustamante 11
Germany Sascha-Andrej Tege 4
Philippines Francisco Bustamante 11
Indonesia Riyan Setiawan 10
Spain Carlos Cabello 8
Indonesia Riyan Setiawan 11

Section 8

Round of 64
(Race to 11) 		Round of 32
(Race to 11) 		Round of 16
(Race to 11)
         
Philippines Jeffrey de Luna 9
Chinese Taipei Fu Che-wei 11
Chinese Taipei Fu Che-wei 1
England Daryl Peach 11
England Daryl Peach 11
Philippines Roberto Gomez 4
England Daryl Peach 11
Chinese Taipei Ko Pin-yi 9
France Stephan Cohen 11
Philippines Raymund Faron 9
France Stephan Cohen 3
Chinese Taipei Ko Pin-yi 11
England Karl Boyes 8
Chinese Taipei Ko Pin-yi 11

Quarterfinals onward

Quarterfinals
(Race to 11) 		Semifinals
(Race to 11) 		Final
(Race to 13)
         
Philippines Vicenancio Tanio 10
Japan Yukio Akakariyama 11
Japan Yukio Akakariyama 11
Upper half
England Mark Gray 10
England Mark Gray 11
United States Shane Van Boening 9
Japan Yukio Akakariyama 13
Philippines Ronnie Alcano 11
Philippines Ronnie Alcano 11
Japan Tōru Kuribayashi [de] 10
Philippines Ronnie Alcano 11
Lower half
Philippines Dennis Orcullo 9
Philippines Dennis Orcullo 11
England Daryl Peach 4

Final

Player Lag Rack Racks
won
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Philippines Ronnie Alcano • Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won 11
Japan Yukio Akakariyama Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won Won 13

References

  1. ^ a b Lerner, Ted (June 17, 2011). "Jewel in the desert". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Time For the World 9-Ball Excitement to Begin!". azbilliards.com. May 29, 2011. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lerner, Ted. "Event details". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  4. ^ "Pool's pantheon awaits". wpa-pool.com. June 25, 2011. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  5. ^ Lerner, Ted (June 19, 2011). "second to none". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Lerner, Ted. "WPA World 9-Ball Championship 2011". azbilliards.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  7. ^ Lerner, Ted. "WPA World 9-Ball Championship 2010". azbilliards.com. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d Malla, Suman (June 26, 2011). "Reyes and Bustamante survive early scares". Gulf Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
  9. ^ Lerner, Ted (June 26, 2011). "The Wow factor in Doha". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e Malla, Suman (June 26, 2011). "Top guns have it easy on day two". Gulf Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
  11. ^ Lerner, Ted (December 7, 2017). "All systems go for world 9-ball championship". WPA Pool. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  12. ^ a b c Lerner, Ted (June 28, 2011). "Loser's feel the squeeze". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d Malla, Suman (June 28, 2011). "Filipino cueists dominate with nine berths in last 64". Gulf Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2011.
  14. ^ Lerner, Ted (June 28, 2011). "Americas last best hope". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  15. ^ a b c Malla, Suman (June 27, 2011). "Gray joins fellow Britons Appleton, Peach in round of 64". Gulf Times. Archived from the original on July 4, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  16. ^ a b c d Malla, Suman (June 28, 2011). "Former champions Reyes, Immonen bow out". Gulf Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
  17. ^ Lerner, Ted (June 30, 2011). "Dazlin Daryl is in it to Win it". azbilliards.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  18. ^ a b Lerner, Ted (June 30, 2011). "Great Escapes Into the Sweet Sixteen". azbilliards.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  19. ^ a b Lerner, Ted (June 30, 2011). "Great escapes into the last 16". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  20. ^ a b c Lerner, Ted (June 30, 2011). "Clutch, tough and moving on". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  21. ^ Lerner, Ted (July 1, 2011). "Clutch, Tough and Moving On". azbilliards.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  22. ^ a b c d e f Lerner, Ted (July 1, 2011). "and then there were four..." wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  23. ^ Lerner, Ted (July 1, 2011). "and then there were four". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  24. ^ a b c Lerner, Ted (July 1, 2011). "Alcano and Akagariyama To Meet For World 9-Ball Title". azbilliards.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2020. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  25. ^ a b c "Japan's Yukio lifts title with a thrilling win over Alcano". Gulf Times. July 3, 2011. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  26. ^ a b c d Lerner, Ted (July 2, 2011). "It's Yukio". wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  27. ^ Lerner, Ted. "Tournament Bracket" (PDF). wpa-pool.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 31, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
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