World Pool Masters --- May 10-13, 2023 (Essex, England)

Vahmurka

...and I get all da rolls
Silver Member
Obviously, as them Matchroom say, the list of participants was revealed during the last day of 9-ball Worlds in Kielce (February 2023).

MR_WPM_field on rankings.jpg


However, as them Matchroom say, two spots are left for wildcards.

Note that Mohammad Soufi, the sensational runner-up of the Worlds, won some heart(s) to be granted a place. (#14 in Live 9-ball rankings at the end of the Worlds is Chang Jung Lin, #15 Abdullah AlYousef, #16 Oliver Szolnoki.)

Current World Pool Masters title holder is Joshua Filler, defeating Lo Ho Sum 9-6.

JoshFillerWPM2022.jpg


(Thread title to be edited as Matchroom reveal the venue.)
 

Vahmurka

...and I get all da rolls
Silver Member
That's already quite a roster, I'd say, with many big guns. Hopefully all of them retain (or gain) form, come May. I'd love to see a couple of Asian players filling the wildcard spots. Filipinos, Taiwanese, or even go dig the best of the Chinese players (I believe they must have been playing each other during these years of Covid isolation).

Probably it is the very first time the field is decided based on the rankings mostly (as opposed to being an invitational event).

Team Austria in top 14, how strong is that!
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Have they cut back? The last 3 events were 24 players.
From the website:

The World Pool Masters is pool’s most historic invitational tournament. 2023 sees it return to a 16-player format with the top 14 from the Nineball World Rankings joined by two wild cards. Returning to the UK for the first time since 2015, it promises to be a spectacle.

At invitationals like that, 16 seems like enough. That's 15 matches with every match champion-packed which is plenty of content now that they have more events on the calendar.
 

skogstokig

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
According to a press release today, the prize fund has been raised to $125,000 and:

China's Zheng Xiao Huai becomes the first wild card with one more to be revealed in the coming weeks.

that's a bit surprising. haven't seen him for 3+ years (all japan championship)
 

Vahmurka

...and I get all da rolls
Silver Member
According to a press release today, the prize fund has been raised to $125,000 and:

China's Zheng Xiao Huai becomes the first wild card with one more to be revealed in the coming weeks.
logged on to add this very info, but you keep an eye on that also, thanks Bob! 👍
Also note the dates shifted, to May 10-13 (instead of previous 6-9). Changed that in the title and added the venue.

For those who might be unfamiliar with Zheng Xiao Huai, he is two-time finalist of the Junior World Championship 9-ball (U17). Zheng was beaten in the final match in 2015, winning the title next year. In the quarterfinal of China Open 2019 he defeated Ko Pin Yi, so definitely is competitive among adults as well :)
 
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skogstokig

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
if they're not gonna give dennis or biado a wildcard, give one to efren. that will draw attention for sure.
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good to see China starting to come back. Zheng was actually world #1 FargoRate above Wu and Shane in 2019, for a very brief period. It would be fun if Siming Chen would be another wildcard pick. That would really help ratings, IMO.
 

spartan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
logged on to add this very info, but you keep an eye on that also, thanks Bob! 👍
Also note the dates shifted, to May 10-13 (instead of previous 6-9). Changed that in the title and added the venue.

For those who might be unfamiliar with Zheng Xiao Huai, he is two-time finalist of the Junior World Championship 9-ball (U17). Zheng was beaten in the final match in 2015, winning the title next year. In the quarterfinal of China Open 2019 he defeated Ko Pin Yi, so definitely is competitive among adults as well :)
Folks know him from his great run as a relative unknown kid to win All Japan few years ago. After that dropped off the radar :D So good to see that he is back
 
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