2021 World Pool Championships (9 Ball)

[Bob Jewett]

There was just a press release from Matchroom about the World Pool Championships. Here are some details:

Event: 2021 World Pool Championship
Date: June 6 - 10, 2021
Website: Matchroom Multi Sport
Location: Milton Keynes, England
Venue: Marshall Arena
Prize Fund: $250,000

There will be some COVID-19 controls in place. Travel will likely be an issue for some. If the event is like the other Matchroom events over the last year, and restrictions in the UK aren't seriously relaxed by then, the players will be tested and live in a bubble. At this point, it seems there will not be an audience.

 

[spartan]

Official artwork has Kelly Fisher in it.
Good to see Matchroom break the barrier first time bringing women into Men's World Championships.
Kelly did a good job in recent Championship League Pool finishing in top 10 prizemoney of out 19 players.

 

[Bob Jewett]

...
Event: 2021 World Pool Championship
Date: June 6 - 10, 2021
...
There will be some COVID-19 controls in place. Travel will likely be an issue for some. If the event is like the other Matchroom events over the last year, and restrictions in the UK aren't seriously relaxed by then, the players will be tested and live in a bubble. At this point, it seems there will not be an audience.

The snooker World Championship (another Matchroom event) is in progress. There is an audience under a special government program to restart sports audiences. There is perhaps 25% seating density and each spectator has to be tested the day before the first match they watch and each three days if they continue at the event. Masks are required. The two players at the table do not share bridges (rests) or shake hands, and the equipment is disinfected between matches.

 

[sjm]

Official artwork has Kelly Fisher in it. Good to see Matchroom break the barrier first time bringing women into Men's World Championships.

I don't see this as a historic moment, but instead as the extension of an already existing Matchroom policy.

The reigning women's World Champion customarily gets an invite to their non-team events. Matchroom does it with the World Pool Masters, they just did it with the inaugural Predator Championship League event, and this will be the first time that the World 9-ball championship is a Matchroom event, so they are doing it again.

As there was no WPA World 9-ball Championship, Kelly Fisher, who won in 2019, is still viewed as women's world champion. Makes sense.

I agree with you that this is a good thing.

 

[JohnnyOzone]

I don't see this as a historic moment, but instead as the extension of an already existing Matchroom policy.

The reigning women's World Champion customarily gets an invite to their non-team events. Matchroom does it with the World Pool Masters, they just did it with the inaugural Predator Championship League event, and this will be the first time that the World 9-ball championship is a Matchroom event, so they are doing it again.

As there was no WPA World 9-ball Championship, Kelly Fisher, who won in 2019, is still viewed as women's world champion. Makes sense.

I agree with you that this is a good thing.

If they went by fargorate, they should also invite Chen Siming. She could do well

 

[sjm]

If they went by fargorate, they should also invite Chen Siming. She could do well

Agreed for sure. The two Chinese superstars who've taken turns at the World #1 ranking, Siming Chen and Han Yu, would be forces to be reckoned with even in a men's event, but others have posted that travel to/from China right now is still borderline impossible, so the subject is likely moot.

I highly doubt Matchroom will ever use Fargo to judge invitations, but they have shown an interest in having elite women in their events.