WPA World Nine-ball Championship

The WPA World Nine-ball Championship is an annual, international, professional nine-ball pool tournament, sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA). It is divided into men's and women's divisions. One of its sponsors, Matchroom Sport (which also provides the event's official website) prefers to refer to it under the more vague name "World Pool Championship". [http://worldpoolchampionship.com Official event site] ]

The event was organised solely by the WPA from 1990 to 1999. In July 1999, Matchroom Sport attempted to get involved with the organisation of the event, but their bid failed. The WPA event was duly played in Alicante, Spain, and won by Nick Varner. Matchroom instead organised what it called the "World Professional Pool Championship", a non-WPA event in Cardiff, Wales, and was won by Efren Reyes. The WPA was impressed by the professionalism of Matchroom's event, and agreed that from 2000, the Matchroom event would be the official WPA world championship. From 2000, Matchroom has referred to the event as the "World Pool Championship", dropping the word "professional" from the title. The WPA also agreed to recognise the results of the 1999 Matchroon event, meaning that official listings show both Varner and Reyes as 1999 world champion.

The event remained in Cardiff up until 2003. The 2004 and 2005 events were held in Taiwan, with the 2006 and 2007 events taking place in the Philippines.

The total purse of event is $400K where the champion shall earn $100K.

Historical highlights

* 1990: The first World Nine-ball Championship was held.
* 1999: The WPA Championship was first broadcast, on ESPN. Meanwhile, Matchroom Sport organizes the World Professional Pool Championship.
* 2000 The WPA and Matchroom events are unified. Matchroom continues to organize the event, now with WPA sanctioning.
* 2001: The number of contestants in the men's division was increased to 128 and a men's division first prize raised to US$65,000.
* 2004: After being held in Cardiff, Wales for five years, the tournament moved to Taiwan, with a men's division first prize of $75,000.
* 2005: For the first time, the pockets of the tables were slightly narrowed. Last 64 and last 32 matches were extended to Cuegloss|Race|race-to-10 format.
* 2006: The tournament moved to the Philippines. All matches became alternating Cuegloss|Break|break all the way from the group stages to the finals. Men's division first prize escalated to $100,000.
* 2007: Philippines hosted the event again. The tournament began on Saturday, November 3 with the final taking place on Sunday, November 11.

ee also

*List of WPA World Nine-ball Champions
*2006 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Championship
*2007 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Championship

External links and references

External links

* [http://www.matchroomsport.com/articleDetail.asp?intArticleID=379 The draw for the 2007 WPA World Nine-ball Championship]
* [http://www.matchroomsport.com/articleDetail.asp?intArticleID=269 Information about the venue for the 2007 WPA World Nine-ball Championship]
* [http://www.matchroomsport.com/articleDetail.asp?intArticleID=354 New format announced for the 2007 WPA World Nine-ball Championship]