World 9 Ball Championships by Nationality

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jalapus logan

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So, given the distribution of entrants sorted by nationality below, why only 2 players from the USA??? Seems like the US could be better represented, no? Is pool 2.5 times better just a bit to the north that Canada can be blessed with 5 total entrants? By the way, that means that the entirety of North America represents a scant 5.47% of the total field. That seems pretty low to me, given the relative population and wealth of this continent.

Also, it looks like the countries that choose to support their players on an international level the most are the Philippines and Taipei (Qatar is the host country, so I figure that their 9 entrants don't represent much in the context of this discussion). Probably no shocker there.


Entrants by country:

Country # Players Entered % of Field
1 PHI 10 7.81%
2 QAT 9 7.03%
3 TPE 8 6.25%
4 GBR 7 5.47%
5 CAN 5 3.91%
6 GER 5 3.91%
7 JPN 5 3.91%
8 UAE 5 3.91%
9 CHN 4 3.13%
10 KSA 4 3.13%
11 PHI-UAE 4 3.13%
12 ESP 3 2.34%
13 FIN 3 2.34%
14 KUW 3 2.34%
15 NED 3 2.34%
16 POL 3 2.34%
17 HKG 2 1.56%
18 INA 2 1.56%
19 IND 2 1.56%
20 IRI 2 1.56%
21 LIB 2 1.56%
22 PHI-QAT 2 1.56%
23 POR 2 1.56%
24 SIN 2 1.56%
25 SYR 2 1.56%
26 USA 2 1.56%
27 VIE 2 1.56%
28 AUT 1 0.78%
29 BEL 1 0.78%
30 BIH 1 0.78%
31 BRU 1 0.78%
32 CHA 1 0.78%
33 CRO 1 0.78%
34 CZE 1 0.78%
35 EGY 1 0.78%
36 ERI 1 0.78%
37 EST 1 0.78%
38 FRA 1 0.78%
39 GBE 1 0.78%
40 HUN 1 0.78%
41 ITA 1 0.78%
42 JOR 1 0.78%
43 KOE 1 0.78%
44 KOR 1 0.78%
45 MAS 1 0.78%
46 NZL 1 0.78%
47 PHI-KSA 1 0.78%
48 PHI-KUW 1 0.78%
49 RUS 1 0.78%
50 SWE 1 0.78%
51 URU 1 0.78%
52 VEN 1 0.78%

Total Entered 128

Here's a list of players sorted by country if anyone is interested:

Player Country
Mario He AUT
Serge Das BEL
Ramiz Turulja BIH
Ahmad Faufiq Bin Murni BRU
Chris Orme CAN
Jason Klatt CAN
Martin Daigle CAN
John Morris CAN
Erik Hjorleifson CAN
Liu Haitao CHA
Fu Jianbo CHN
Han Haoziang CHN
Dang Jinhu CHN
Wu Jiaqing CHN
Carlo Dalmann CRO
Roman Hybler CZE
El Assal EGY
Hamzah Al Saeed ERI
Carlos Cabello ESP
David Alcaide ESP
Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz ESP
Denis Grabe EST
Petri Makkonen FIN
Mika Immonen FIN
Kim Laaksonen FIN
Stephan Cohen FRA
Mark Gray GBE
Chris Melling GBR
Scott Higgins GBR
Imran Majid GBR
Karl Boyes GBR
Darren Appleton GBR
Raj Hundal GBR
Daryl Peach GBR
Thorsten Hohmann GER
Thomas Engert GER
Ralf Souquet GER
Sascha Tege GER
Oliver Ortman GER
Kong Bu Hong HKG
Lee Chenman HKG
Vilmos Foldes HUN
Muhammad Zulfikri INA
Riyan Setiawan INA
Sundeep Gulati IND
Alok Kumar IND
Takhti Zarekani IRI
Soheil Vahedi IRI
Bruno Muratore ITA
Ahmed Naeem Ali JOR
Lo Li Wen JPN
Ohi Naoyuki JPN
Akakariyama Yukio JPN
Takano Tomoo JPN
Kuribayashi Tohru JPN
Lee Gun Jae KOE
Hwang Yong KOR
Mohammad Al Harthi KSA
Mohammad Al Hazmi KSA
Omar Al Amri KSA
Badr Al Hamdan KSA
Omar Al Shahein KUW
Majed Alazmi KUW
Bader Al Awadi KUW
Mohammad Ali Berjaoui LIB
Mazen Berjaoui LIB
Ibrahim Bin Amir MAS
Huidji See NED
Nick Van Den Berg NED
Niels Feijen NED
Jon Grimley NZL
Dennis Orcollo PHI
Efren Reyes PHI
Carlo Biado PHI
Francisco Bustamante PHI
Robrto Gomez PHI
Oliver Medenilla PHI
Jeffery De Luna PHI
Lee Van Corteza PHI
Ronnie Alcano PHI
Antonio Lining PHI
Caneda Villamor PHI-KSA
Allan Cuartero PHI-KUW
Antonio Gabica PHI-QAT
Israel Rota PHI-QAT
Venancio Tanio PHI-UAE
Francisco Olita PHI-UAE
Joven Alba PHI-UAE
Raymund Faraon PHI-UAE
Tomasz Kaplan POL
Mariusz Skoneczny POL
Radoslaw Babica POL
Henrique Correia POR
Manuel Gama POR
Mohanna Obaidly QAT
Bashar Hussain QAT
Meshal Turkey QAT
Waleed Majed QAT
Mohd Buainain QAT
Abdulatif Fawal QAT
Khamis Obaidly QAT
Mohd Al Bin Ali QAT
Taher Hussain QAT
Konstantin Stepanov RUS
Chan Keng Kwang SIN
Goh Chin Teck SIN
Marcus Chamat SWE
Mohamad Al Sofi SYR
Mohamad As Fari SYR
Fu Chi Wei TPE
Kuo Po Cheng TPE
Ko Ping Chun TPE
Ko Pin Yi TPE
Chang Jung Lin TPE
Chang Yu Lun TPE
Hsu Kai Lun TPE
Liu Cheng Cheih TPE
Maje Al Zaabi UAE
Hany Al Hori UAE
Hussain Jamil Abdulwahed UAE
Ameen Fekree UAE
Ali Saeed UAE
Christan Tuvi URU
Hunter Lombardo USA
Shane Van Boening USA
Jalal Yousef VEN
Nguyen Phuong Thao VIE
Nguyen Phuc Long VIE
 
Last edited:
Yes, I was disappointed that so many US players decided not to take the trip. Someone pointed out in an earlier post that the quality of the field made it difficult to make up the expenses, and I'm sure that has something to do with it. The political climate might have something to do with it also. It is obvious you did a lot of work on this, so thanks for the effort.
 
If you would have told me there were two Americans that went, I would have assumed SVB. But I am really surprised that Hunter was the 2nd to go. I am very impressed that he is stepping up and trying to up his game with the best in the world.

I can understand the reluctance to go based on the strong field. The thing that really sucks about pool is you probably have to place in the top 10 to break even.

It seems that while everyone thinks pool is dying in America, it is flourishing and growing in other countries. If they put pool in the olympics I bet it would get some funding here. We seem to put a premium on funding for olympic sports. It should probably be a winter sport since no one here plays in the summer, lol.
 
Mole Eye said:
Yes, I was disappointed that so many US players decided not to take the trip. Someone pointed out in an earlier post that the quality of the field made it difficult to make up the expenses, and I'm sure that has something to do with it. The political climate might have something to do with it also. It is obvious you did a lot of work on this, so thanks for the effort.
Click to expand...

I think it's the $$$$.
To be a professional instead of an amateur endeavor I feel 13/16 money
should be enough to show a profit.
If the money was bigger, the size and quality of any world-class field
would be much greater.
 
pt109 said:
I think it's the $$$$.
To be a professional instead of an amateur endeavor I feel 13/16 money
should be enough to show a profit.
If the money was bigger, the size and quality of any world-class field
would be much greater.
Click to expand...

But most players that would go to this would be sponsored, at least partially to pay for this. I guess the sponsors could say "you're not good enough to place high and provide exposure to us" but that's a bit ugly.

Heck, there are a dozen people that could travel there on winnings from a certain poker player :grin:;)

Are there big tournaments in US during this time that would also keep people here? Why go that far if a mile down the road you can make even 30% of the prize for 0 cost.
 
I know for a fact that when a Taiwanese player places top 3 in the biggest international events, the government rewards them as well on top of the prize money. The same probably holds true for many other countries so there are a lot more incentives. The same trend goes for the major tournaments here in the US where if the Asian player doesn't have sponsors, they are reluctant to come because they really have to place high to make a profit and also they don't get paid by the government even if they place.

I know in the early 2000s, the World 9 Ball Championships definitely represented a World Championship. All the top pros showed and the events were televised on the biggest sport channels in some countries. The audience attendance was amazing as well..
 
Based on that list, the Filipinos will be hard to beat. I looked at the group brackets and it is possible at least 15 out of 18 or maybe more will make it to the top 64.
 
???

Question of money ?

I think most pro have sponsor .

AND you will get at least 2K USD when you enter the last 64 .

For the likes of Earl, Archer, Deuel I think there is a surprise if they don't make it to the last 64 .

So the question is : sponsor + 2K isn't enough . You need to adjust THAT MUCH to decide not to go ?
 
HelloBaby- said:
Question of money ?

I think most pro have sponsor .

AND you will get at least 2K USD when you enter the last 64 .

For the likes of Earl, Archer, Deuel I think there is a surprise if they don't make it to the last 64 .

So the question is : sponsor + 2K isn't enough . You need to adjust THAT MUCH to decide not to go ?
Click to expand...

Plane ticket alone is roughly 2k, plus living expenses and food.
 
HelloBaby- said:
That's exactly what I mean, that means enter the last 64 they're good already . so why ?
Click to expand...

Well there's also a risk factor that they don't get into top 64. And when they get eliminated from top 64, they lose at least a week or more where they could be making money. I can see the younger players do it, but most of the older pros have already established their place in the pool world (earl, johnny archer, etc.)
 
17 out of 18 Filipinos all made it to the next round of 64 (knockout stage). Only casualty is Francisco Olita PHI-UAE and he lost by a mere 1 point 8 to 9 !!! However, I am sure that they will be knocking each other out in the next rounds.
 
Well, you gotta like the Pinoys' chances from here with 25% of the final field.

Here you go:

Nationality/# Players Remaining/% of Field
PHI /8/ 25.00%
GBR /5/ 15.63%
NED/ 3/ 9.38%
TPE /3/ 9.38%
GER /2/ 6.25%
AUT /1/ 3.13%
CAN /1/ 3.13%
CRO /1/ 3.13%
CZE /1/ 3.13%
ESP /1/ 3.13%
FIN /1/ 3.13%
FRA /1/ 3.13%
IND /1/ 3.13%
JPN /1/ 3.13%
POL /1/ 3.13%
USA /1/ 3.13%

Total Entrants Left 32

Here's the players remaining by country:

Player Country
Mario He AUT
Chris Orma CAN
Carlo Dalmann CRO
Roman Hybler CZE
Carlo Cabello ESP
Mika Immonen FIN
Stephan Cohen FRA
Imran Majid GBR
Chris Melling GBR
Darren Appleton GBR
Daryl Peach GBR
Karl Boyes GBR
Ralf Souquet GER
Thorsten Hohmann GER
Raj Hundal IND
Akakariyama Yukio JPN
Neck Van Den Berg NED
Niels Feijen NED
Huidji See NED
Oliver Medenilla PHI
Carlo Biado PHI
Allan Cuartero PHI
Antonio Lining PHI
Dennis Orcollo PHI
Efren Reyes PHI
Francisco Bustamante PHI
Jeffrey De Luna PHI
Radoslaw Babica POL
Kuo Po Cheng TPE
Chang Jung Lin TPE
Chang Yu Lun TPE
Shane Van Boening USA
 
HelloBaby- said:
Question of money ?

I think most pro have sponsor .

AND you will get at least 2K USD when you enter the last 64 .

For the likes of Earl, Archer, Deuel I think there is a surprise if they don't make it to the last 64 .

So the question is : sponsor + 2K isn't enough . You need to adjust THAT MUCH to decide not to go ?
Click to expand...

I honestly think that you would be very, very surprised at the level of "sponsorship" many of the pros have. Even for the very good ones, their sponsors don't just up and plop down the money for them to travel, play, etc.

That is one of the big problems with pool. The money, even in many "top" tournaments is just not that great.

Someone on here had a listing of the money won by the top players last year. Take a look at that money amount and deduct the cost of travelling, lodging, etc from it. Unless you are an absolute big name draw with a MAJOR sponsorship deal, the sponsors just don't pick up the slack. I wish they did.

I personally know a few pro players with some level of sponsirships who had actually had to travel by car (and sleep in the same car) in order to afford to play. Pool is probably the last sport where anything like that is necessary.

Joe
 
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