2018 WPA World Nine-ball Championship

The 2018 WPA World Nine-ball Championship was a 9-Ball pool world Championships. The event took place between December 10 to 20, 2018 in the al-Attiya Sports Arena of the Al-Arabi Sports Club in Doha, Qatar.^[1] The Qatari capital held the event for the eighth time in a row.^[3]

WPA World 9-Ball Championship 2018

Tournament information
Sport	9-ball
Location	al-Arabi Sports Club, Doha, Qatar[1]
Dates	December 14, 2018–December 20, 2018[2]
Tournament format(s)	Double elimination / Single elimination
Host(s)	WPA World Nine-ball Championship
Participants	128
Final positions
Champion	Joshua Filler
Runner-up	Carlo Biado
← 2017 2019 →

The reigning champion was Filipino Carlo Biado, who defeated his compatriot Roland Garcia 13–5 in the 2017 final.^[4][5] Biado would reach the final of the event, defeating Shane Van Boening in the semi-final. Germany's Joshua Filler won the event, defeating Biado in the final 13–10.^[6]

Tournament summary

The event was entered by 128 participants who were initially divided into 16 groups of 8 players, in which they competed against each other from December 14 to 16 in a double elimination tournament. Four players in each group qualified for the final round, which will be played from December 17 to 20. The event was played under "alternating break" format.^[7]

In the initial double-elimination round, 2003 and 2013 champion Thorsten Hohmann was eliminated, having first lost 6–9 to Jason Theron,^[8] and then to 2005 champion Wu Jiaqing also 6–9, despite being ahead 6–2.^[9]

Later in the event, 9-ball world number one Klenti Kaci was defeated in the round of 32 – 10–11 to 17 year old Robbie Capito. Capito was at one stage 7–1, and 10–8 down in the match, but won the final three racks to win the match.^[10][11]

The semi-finals and final were played on the December 20, 2018.^[12] The reigning champion Carlo Biado defeated Shane Van Boening in the first semi-final, whilst Joshua Filler defeated Alexander Kazakis in a final rack decider. Filler would win the event; climbing to an 11–7 lead, and eventually winning 13–10.^[6][13]

Prize money

The event saw a total prize pool of $200,000.^[14]

	Prize money[7]
Winner	40.000 US$
Final	15.000 US$
Semi-final	? US$
Quarter-final	? US$
Last 16	? US$
Last 32	? US$
Last 64	? US$
Total	200.000 US$

Preliminary round

^[15][16]

Group 1

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Eklent Kaçi	9
	Alejandro Carvajal [de]	7
					Eklent Kaçi	9
					Meshaal al-Murdhi	6
	Meshaal al-Murdhi	9
	Abdulatif Alfawal	5
	Aloysius Yapp	9
	Fayaz Hussain	3
					Aloysius Yapp	9
					Witalij Pazura [de]	8
	Witalij Pazura [de]	9
	Ryu Seung-woo	5
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Abdulatif Alfawal	6
	Alejandro Carvajal [de]	4			Witalij Pazura [de]	9
	Abdulatif Alfawal	9
					Ryu Seung-woo	9
	Fayaz Hussain	3			Meshaal al-Murdhi	3
	Ryu Seung-woo	9

Group 2

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Joshua Filler	9
	Stanimir Ruslanow	5
					Joshua Filler	9
					Mazen Berjaoui	5
	Mazen Berjaoui	9
	Matthew Edwards	6
	Hunter Lombardo	5
	Radosław Babica	9
					Radosław Babica	6
					Jeff de Luna	9
	Sami Koylu	7
	Jeff de Luna	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Matthew Edwards	7
	Stanimir Ruslanow	5			Radosław Babica	9
	Matthew Edwards	9
					Hunter Lombardo	8
	Hunter Lombardo	9			Mazen Berjaoui	9
	Sami Koylu	7

Group 3

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Roland Garcia	8
	Hsu Jui-an [de]	9
					Hsu Jui-an [de]	9
					Bader al-Awadhi	1
	Ahmed Nizam Uddin	1
	Bader al-Awadhi	9
	Billy Thorpe	9
	Ahmed Aleqaly	4
					Billy Thorpe	7
					Liu Ri-teng	9
	Liu Ri-teng	9
	David Alcaide	1
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Roland Garcia	9
	Roland Garcia	9			Billy Thorpe	5
	Ahmed Nizam Uddin	5
					David Alcaide	7
	Ahmed Aleqaly	2			Bader al-Awadhi	9
	David Alcaide	9

Group 4

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Fjodor Gorst	9
	Omar Al-Shaheen	6
					Fjodor Gorst	9
					Jeong Young-hwa [de]	1
	Mohammad Soufi [de]	7
	Jeong Young-hwa [de]	9
	Wojciech Szewczyk	5
	Robbie Capito	9
					Robbie Capito	9
					Sanjin Pehlivanović	5
	Sanjin Pehlivanović	9
	Johann Chua	7
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Omar Al-Shaheen	9
	Omar Al-Shaheen	9			Sanjin Pehlivanović	6
	Mohammad Soufi [de]	6
					Johann Chua	9
	Wojciech Szewczyk	3			Jeong Young-hwa [de]	7
	Johann Chua	9

Group 5

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Niels Feijen	9
	Chang Yu-Lung	5
					Niels Feijen	9
					Francisco Díaz-Pizarro	7
	Francisco Díaz-Pizarro	9
	Israel Rota	2
	Corey Deuel	9
	Ahmed Tanvir	5
					Corey Deuel	9
					Petri Makkonen	4
	Fawaz al-Rashedi	3
	Petri Makkonen	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Chang Yu-Lung	6
	Chang Yu-Lung	9			Petri Makkonen	9
	Israel Rota	5
					Ahmed Tanvir	5
	Ahmed Tanvir	9			Francisco Díaz-Pizarro	9
	Fawaz al-Rashedi	4

Group 6

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Hsieh Chia-chen	9
	Satoshi Kawabata [de]	3
					Hsieh Chia-chen	9
					Ruslan Chinachov	8
	Ruslan Chinachov	9
	Mika Immonen	5
	Mateusz Śniegocki	9
	Vincent Halliday	7
					Mateusz Śniegocki	9
					Jeffrey Ignacio	5
	Abdullah Alenzi	6
	Jeffrey Ignacio	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Satoshi Kawabata [de]	6
	Satoshi Kawabata [de]	9			Jeffrey Ignacio	9
	Mika Immonen	4
					Abdullah Alenzi	2
	Vincent Halliday	1			Ruslan Chinachov	9
	Abdullah Alenzi	9

Group 7

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Alexander Kazakis	9
	Jakub Koniar [de]	8
					Alexander Kazakis	9
					Hayato Hijikata [de]	8
	Ko Ping-han	4
	Hayato Hijikata [de]	9
	Xu Xiaocong	9
	Ahmad Mohamad Sllah	8
					Xu Xiaocong	6
					Waleed Majid	9
	Waleed Majid	9
	Cheng Yu-hsuan	5
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Ko Ping-han	9
	Jakub Koniar [de]	4			Xu Xiaocong	7
	Ko Ping-han	9
					Cheng Yu-hsuan	9
	Ahmad Mohamad Sllah	2			Hayato Hijikata [de]	5
	Cheng Yu-hsuan	9

Group 8

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Alex Pagulayan	9
	Mohammad Berjaoui	8
					Alex Pagulayan	9
					Tōru Kuribayashi [de]	8
	Sharik Aslam Sayed	5
	Tōru Kuribayashi [de]	9
	Roman Hybler	9
	Mohammad al-Amin	8
					Roman Hybler	1
					Ko Pin-yi	9
	Hasan Idan	4
	Ko Pin-yi	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Sharik Aslam Sayed	9
	Mohammad Berjaoui	6			Roman Hybler	4
	Sharik Aslam Sayed	9
					Hasan Idan	6
	Mohammad al-Amin	6			Tōru Kuribayashi [de]	9
	Hasan Idan	9

Group 9

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Carlo Biado	9
	Jorge Llanos [de]	3
					Carlo Biado	9
					Sergei Luzker	5
	Sergei Luzker	9
	Nguyễn Anh Tuấn	8
	Wiktor Zieliński	7
	Tomoya Iima	9
					Tomoya Iima	9
					Dương Quốc Hoàng	7
	Ameer Ali	5
	Dương Quốc Hoàng	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Nguyễn Anh Tuấn	9
	Jorge Llanos [de]	2			Dương Quốc Hoàng	5
	Nguyễn Anh Tuấn	9
					Wiktor Zieliński	9
	Wiktor Zieliński	9			Sergei Luzker	7
	Ameer Ali	8

Group 10

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Liu Haitao	9
	Ali Abdulhadi	2
					Liu Haitao	6
					Wang Can	9
	Marlon Manalo	6
	Wang Can	9
	Martin Daigle	8
	Casper Matikainen	9
					Casper Matikainen	4
					Naoyuki Ōi	9
	Abdullah Falah	2
	Naoyuki Ōi	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Marlon Manalo	2
	Ali Abdulhadi	2			Casper Matikainen	9
	Marlon Manalo	9
					Martin Daigle	6
	Martin Daigle	9			Liu Haitao	9
	Abdullah Falah	3

Group 11

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Thorsten Hohmann	6
	Jason Theron	9
					Jason Theron	5
					Tomasz Kapłan	9
	Takhti Zarekani	6
	Tomasz Kapłan	9
	Maximilian Lechner	7
	Tomoo Takano	9
					Tomoo Takano	9
					Wu Jiaqing	8
	Jimmy Worung	1
	Wu Jiaqing	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Thorsten Hohmann	6
	Thorsten Hohmann	9			Wu Jiaqing	9
	Takhti Zarekani	7
					Maximilian Lechner	9
	Maximilian Lechner	9			Jason Theron	5
	Jimmy Worung	6

Group 12

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Chris Melling	9
	Marc Bijsterbosch	2
					Chris Melling	9
					Richard Halliday	3
	Ali Maghsoud	8
	Richard Halliday	9
	Maxim Dudanez	6
	Yukio Akakariyama	9
					Yukio Akakariyama	7
					Wu Kun-lin	9
	Wojciech Sroczyński [de]	5
	Wu Kun-lin	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Ali Maghsoud	3
	Marc Bijsterbosch	8			Yukio Akakariyama	9
	Ali Maghsoud	9
					Wojciech Sroczyński [de]	9
	Maxim Dudanez	7			Richard Halliday	3
	Wojciech Sroczyński [de]	9

Group 13

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Ko Ping-chung	9
	Ivar Saris	6
					Ko Ping-chung	9
					Nick Malai	6
	Nick Malai	9
	Robert Hart	3
	Jalal Yousef	9
	Oliver Szolnoki	5
					Jalal Yousef	7
					Shane Van Boening	9
	Marek Kudlik [de]	1
	Shane Van Boening	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Ivar Saris	6
	Ivar Saris	9			Jalal Yousef	9
	Robert Hart	3
					Marek Kudlik [de]	8
	Oliver Szolnoki	8			Nick Malai	9
	Marek Kudlik [de]	9

Group 14

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Denis Grabe	3
	Phone Myint Kyaw	9
					Phone Myint Kyaw	9
					Lo Ho Sum	4
	Toh Lian Han [de]	3
	Lo Ho Sum	9
	Konstantin Stepanov	9
	Enrique Rojas [de]	8
					Konstantin Stepanov	9
					Dang Jinhu [de]	4
	Lin Ta Li	8
	Dang Jinhu [de]	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Denis Grabe	6
	Denis Grabe	9			Dang Jinhu [de]	9
	Toh Lian Han [de]	2
					Lin Ta Li	9
	Enrique Rojas [de]	8			Lo Ho Sum	6
	Lin Ta Li	9

Group 15

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Francisco Sánchez	9
	Aung Moe Thu	6
					Francisco Sánchez	9
					John Morra	2
	Roberto Brillantes	0
	John Morra	9
	Konrad Juszczyszyn	9
	Kong Bu Hong	4
					Konrad Juszczyszyn	9
					Albin Ouschan	4
	Thomas Tokoph	4
	Albin Ouschan	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Aung Moe Thu	5
	Aung Moe Thu	9			Albin Ouschan	9
	Roberto Brillantes	3
					Thomas Tokoph	3
	Kong Bu Hong	8			John Morra	9
	Thomas Tokoph	9

Group 16

	Main Round				Winner’s Round
	Ralf Souquet	9
	Mohammed Hassan	3
					Ralf Souquet	9
					Lo Li-wen [de]	2
	Bing Chen Gao	5
	Lo Li-wen [de]	9
	Bashar Abdulmajeed [de]	7
	Damianos Giallourakis	9
					Damianos Giallourakis	8
					Chang Jung-Lin	9
	Kwon Hojun	8
	Chang Jung-Lin	9
	1st playoff round				2nd playoff round
					Bing Chen Gao	9
	Mohammed Hassan	6			Damianos Giallourakis	7
	Bing Chen Gao	9
					Kwon Hojun	5
	Bashar Abdulmajeed [de]	4			Lo Li-wen [de]	9
	Kwon Hojun	9

Finals

^[16][17]

	Round of 64				Round of 32				Last 16				Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	Eklent Kaçi	11
	Bing Chen Gao	4
					Eklent Kaçi	10
					Robbie Capito	11
	Mazen Berjaoui	4
	Robbie Capito	11
									Robbie Capito	1
									Joshua Filler	11
	Wang Can	9
	Nguyễn Anh Tuấn	11
					Nguyễn Anh Tuấn	6
					Joshua Filler	11
	Nick Malai	5
	Joshua Filler	11
													Joshua Filler	11
													Albin Ouschan	6
	Roland Garcia	11
	Waleed Majid	7
					Roland Garcia	8
					Albin Ouschan	11
	Albin Ouschan	11
	Hsieh Chia-chen	6
									Albin Ouschan	11
									Wiktor Zieliński	8
	Tomasz Kapłan	4
	Wiktor Zieliński	11
					Wiktor Zieliński	11
					Johann Chua	5
	Phone Myint Kyaw	2
	Johann Chua	11
																	Joshua Filler	11
																	Alexander Kazakis	10
	Niels Feijen	11
	Bader al-Awadhi	4
					Niels Feijen	11
					Mateusz Śniegocki	1
	Ko Ping-han	2
	Mateusz Śniegocki	11
									Niels Feijen	10
									Alexander Kazakis	11
	Tomoo Takano	5
	Casper Matikainen	11
					Casper Matikainen	9
					Alexander Kazakis	11
	Radosław Babica	10
	Alexander Kazakis	11
													Alexander Kazakis	11
													Corey Deuel	8
	Naoyuki Ōi	10
	Francisco Díaz-Pizarro	11
					Francisco Díaz-Pizarro	7
					Corey Deuel	11
	John Morra	6
	Corey Deuel	11
									Corey Deuel	11
									Ko Pin-yi	9
	Konstantin Stepanov	8
	Ryu Seung-woo	11
					Ryu Seung-woo	4
					Ko Pin-yi	11
	Liu Ri-teng	5
	Ko Pin-yi	11
																					Joshua Filler	13
																					Carlo Biado	10
	Carlo Biado	11
	Witalij Pazura [de]	9
					Carlo Biado	11
					Konrad Juszczyszyn	7
	Lo Li-wen [de]	7
	Konrad Juszczyszyn	11
									Carlo Biado	11
									Wu Jia-qing	9
	Tomoya Iima	4
	Wu Jia-qing	11
					Wu Jia-qing	11
					Tōru Kuribayashi	6
	Tōru Kuribayashi [de]	11
	Francisco Sánchez	7
													Carlo Biado	11
													Wu Kun-lin	4
	Jeffrey Ignacio	9
	Petri Makkonen	11
					Petri Makkonen	11
					Fjodor Gorst	8
	Wojciech Sroczyński [de]	6
	Fedor Gorst	11
									Petri Makkonen	6
									Wu Kun-lin	11
	Alex Pagulayan	6
	Liu Haitao	11
					Liu Haitao	10
					Wu Kun-lin	11
	Maximilian Lechner	4
	Wu Kun-lin	11
																	Carlo Biado	11
																	Shane Van Boening	6
	Ko Ping-chung	8
	Yukio Akakariyama	11
					Yukio Akakariyama	2
					Chris Melling	11
	Hsu Jui-an [de]	8
	Chris Melling	11
									Chris Melling	5
									Shane Van Boening	11
	Shane Van Boening	11
	Cheng Yu-hsuan	7
					Shane Van Boening	11
					Jalal Yousef	7
	Jalal Yousef	11
	Dang Jinhu [de]	10
													Shane Van Boening	11
													Chang Jung-lin	8
	Jeff de Luna	9
	Lin Ta Li	11
					Lin Ta Li	11
					Sharik Aslam Sayed	7
	Sharik Aslam Sayed	11
	Aloysius Yapp	10
									Lin Ta Li	7
									Chang Jung-lin	11
	Ralf Souquet	11
	Ruslan Chinachov	6
					Ralf Souquet	6
					Chang Jung-lin	11
	Omar Al-Shaheen	1
	Chang Jung-lin	11

Grand Final

^[18]

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
Joshua Filler																									13
Carlo Biado	•																								10