Matchroom’s World Pool Championship ~Wrap Up~

By Kat Day

The World Pool Championship was held in Targi Kielce, Kielce in, Poland, on February 1 thru 5, 2023! Shave Van Boening came to defend his 2022 title, but the tournament was full of excitement and unexpected wins.

Matchroom was calling the World Pool Championship the stuff that Fairy tales are made of with the amazing performance from Mohammad Soufi, playing such an amazing game and became a player to look out for in the future!

Many of the players you would have expected to win did not, while others rose above and beyond in the different matches! One player that surprised everyone was Alex Pagulayan, who had beaten Joshua Filler three times in the week. Once at Derby City. Then twice at The World Pool Championship. Due to Ice Storms in Texas, Skyler Woodward could not make it to the games.

Shane Van Boening was almost knocked out of the match by Aloysius Yapp, but SVB got his momentum back and achieved the win. In a Matchroom article on February 4, 2024, it was reported, “Van Boening started the day looking to replicate what only Earl Strickland has done before by successfully defending his title, but Hoang had other ideas as his dream week continued.” Retrieved from https://matchroompool.com/news/historic-afternoon-seesdefending-champion-out-of-world-pool-championship-2023/

Vietnam’s Duong Quoc Hoang beat SVB in an exciting hill-hill thriller 11-10, taking Duong to the final eight and a plethora of unexpected wins to keep the crowd cheering and the people at home watching on the edge of their seats.

Unexpectedly, Kun Lin Wu beat the man that took SVB out of the race, and Mohammad Soufi got the win from Albin Ouschan in the Quarters, then from Kun Lin Wu in the Semifinals. The commentators call the tournament the games that Fairy Tales are made of! Mario He and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz remained throughout the matches. Only two can remain for the final, and after an amazing performance from Mohammad Soufi and FSR, they became the final two!

If Fairy Tales are real, it does not get more real than this, with Soufi winning second to FSR in a valiant game of the two remaining players. What a performance from the two pro players.

Matchroom announced that Mohammad Soufi had earned a place at The World Pool Masters, which will take place in May in the UK. Matchroom also announced the Baltic Tour.

Matchroom keeps getting better and more exciting!

Congratulations to Mohammod Soufi! A Fairy Tale come true! You are now established and have an invitation the the World Pool Masters along with the other champions! Keep practicing and playing SPM looks forward to watching you grow in the sport!

Francisco Sanchez Ruiz you played an amazing tournament and your words at the end reached thousands of viewers! You have a heart of gold! You have acheived so much in the last year and half it will be exciting to see the what the future brings!