Report from Day 1 of the WPA World Pool Team Championship in Beijing

Jul 28, 2014

FAVORITES ROMP TO EASY WINS ON OPENING DAY
Teams stick to the predictable script as the 2014 World Pool Team Championship gets underway in Beijing.
By Ted Lerner
WPA Press Officer
Opening Ceremony
(Beijing, China)--Day 1 at the 2014 World Pool Team Championship at the Tongzhou Luhe High School in Beijing may have been short, with only one session played, but the results were indicative of just how the remainder of the group stages will most likely proceed over the next few days.
16 out of the 25 teams saw action today, including both Chinese squads, and all the favorites won by landslides or comfortable margins.
What this shows is that the multi-discipline format of the event makes surprises about as difficult to come by as a school playground here in Beijing full of blonde Chinese students. The World Pool Team Championship is not an ordinary 9-ball event, where an upstart can get red hot and catch a big favorite by surprise. Yes, it can happen here. But that surprise would be just one match out of a total of six matches played between the two countries in one contest. (one 8 ball men’s doubles, one 8-ball men’s singles, one 9-ball women’s singles, one 9-ball men’s singles, one 10-ball mixed scotch doubles, one 10-ball men’s singles.) Any pool players knows what happens when you play long sets, or multiple sets against an opponent. The age old phrase, “the crème always rises to the top,” comes to mind.
The cream of professional pool didn’t have to even rise anywhere today as it began the evening’s action already at the top and stayed firmly there throughout. Defending champions Chinese- Taipei, with its powerhouse line up of stars Chang Jun Lin, Ko Pin Yi, Hsu Kai Lun, Fu Che Wei, Chou Cheih Yu demolished an overmatched New Zealand squad 6 -0. The Taiwanese played in the same smooth and calm manner throughout this event in 2012 and were practically untouchable then. Any team lined up against this juggernaut better be prepared.
Liu Haitao and Liu ShaSha of China 2
Several hundred people turned out to cheer on their hometown heroes and they didn’t leave disappointed. China 1, with Li He Wen, Wu Jiaqing, Chu Bing Chia, Han Yu, and Chen Siming manhandled Mongolia 6 -0. China 2—stacked with Liu Haitao, Dang Ching Hu, Wang Can, Fu Xiaofang, and Liu Shasha had no issues with Singapore, winning handily 5-1.
The Philippines is surely going to qualify for the final 16 and contend for the title. Dennis Orcollo, Lee Vann Corteza, Carlo Biado and Rubilen Amit had a few early issues with a fired up Bulgarian squad. But the Pinoy stars buckled down for a 5-1 win.
In other matches, Great Britain defeated South Africa 6-0, Sweden outlasted Hong Kong 4-2, while Japan, which always seems to have the most fun in these types of events, easily beat Malaysia 5 -1.
The best and most even match of the evening took place between the USA and Poland. The USA was up 2-1 when the USA’s Jennifer Baretta, playing 9-ball singles, missed a long 8-ball at hill-hill. Poland’s Katazyna Weslowska cleared the table for the win and tie it for Poland. The win gave Poland a shot of confidence and they went on to win both their 10-ball matches for a 4-2 win.
The 2014 World Pool Team Championship continues on Tuesday with all teams seeing action over two sessions. The 25 teams, each featuring at least three men players and one woman player, have been divided into 6 groups playing round robin. 16 teams will qualify for the single elimination stage which begins on Thursday, July 31.
The winning team will receive $80,000. The runner up team will take home $40,000. The total prize fund is $300,000.
Results Day 1 Group Stages
Sweden 4- 2 Hong Kong
China 1, 6 – 0 Mongolia
China 2, 5 – 1 Singapore
Poland 4 – 2 USA
Japan 5 – 1 Malaysia
Chinese Taipei 6 – 0 New Zealand
Philippines 5 – 1 Bulgaria
Great Britain 6 – 0 South Africa
Matches Tuesday July 29
Session 1, 1PM(GMT + 8)
Germany vs. Austria
Australia vs. Vietnam
Korea vs. Russia
Indonesia vs. India
Sweden vs. Mongolia
Hong Kong vs. Croatia
Philippines vs. USA
Bulgaria vs. Poland
Session 2, 6:30PM
Great Britain vs. Austria
China 2 vs. Vietnam
Chinese-Taipei vs. Russia
Japan vs. India
China 1 vs. Croatia
Mongolia vs. Hong Kong
South Africa vs. Germany
Singapore vs. Australia
*The WPA is on hand in Beijing to bring fans around the world full updated coverage of the 2014 World Pool Team Championship.
You can follow the World Pool Team Championship on our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/worldpoolteamchampionship.
The WPA is also on Twitter @poolwpa.
Or visit our website at www.wpapool.com
*The World Pool and Billiard Association(WPA) is the governing body of the sport of pocket billiards.
The Liado U Valley World Pool Team Championship is sanctioned by the WPA, The Multi-Ball Games Administrative Center of General Administration of Sport, Chinese Billiard and Snooker Federation, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sport, Beijing Sports Federation.
Group A
Philippines--Dennis Orcollo, Lee Vann Corteza, Carlo Biado, Rubilen Amit
Poland--Karol Skowerski, Tomasz Kaplan, Mateusz Sniegocki, Katazyna Weslowska
USA—Oscar Dominguez, Hunter Lombardo, Corey Deuel, Jennifer Barretta
Bulgaria— Stanimir Dimitrov, Radostin Dimov, Lyudmil Georgiev, Kristina
Zlateva Group B
China 1—Li He Wen, Wu Jiaqing, Chu Bign Chia, Han Yu, Chen Siming
Sweden—Anreas Gerven, Marcus Chamat, Tomas Larsson, Caroline Roos
Hong Kong—Kwok Chi Ho, Eric Lee, Lo Ho Sum, Robbie James Capito, Lee Tricia Gar Yun.
Croatia—Josip Susnjara, Ivica Putnik, Marko Lisnic, Antonijevic Zrinka
Mongolia—L. Delgerdalai, D. Damdinjamts, A. Yeruult, , A. Delgerkhuu, Z. Zoljargal,
Group C
Great Britain—Daryl Peach, Karl Boyes, Chris Melling, Allison Fisher
Germany—Thorsten Hohmann, Ralf Souquet, Sebastian Staab, Ina Kaplan
Austria—Albin Ouschan, Tong He Yi, Jurgen Jenisy, Thomas Knittel, Jasmin Ouschan, Sandra Baumgartner
South Africa—Rajandran Nair, Charles R. Kuppusamy, Kumersen Reddy, Thilomi Govender
Group D
China 2—Liu Haitao, Dang Ching Hu, Wang Can, Fu Xiaofang, Liu Shasha
Australia—Robby Foldvari, David Rothall, Michael Cassiola, Lyndall Hulley
Vietnam—Trung Le Quang, Tuan Nguyen Anh, Quan Do Hoang, Le Doan Thi Ngoc
Singapore—Chan Keng Kwang, Aloyisus Yapp, Koh Seng Ann Aaron, Charlene Chai Zeet Huey, Toh Lian Han, Hoe Shu Wah
Group E
Chinese-Tapei—Chang Jun Lin, Ko Pin Yi, Hsu Kai Lun, Fu Che Wei, Chou Cheih Yu
Korea—Ryu Seung Woo, Jeong Young Hwa, Ha Min Ug, Kim Ga Young
Russia—Konstantin Stepanov, Ruslan Chinakhov, Andrey Seroshtan, Ann Mazhirina
New Zealand—Matthew Edwards, Phillip Nickpera, Johnathan M. Pakieto, Molradee K. Yanan
Group F
Japan—Naoyuki Oi, Sasaaki Tanaka, Hayato Hijikata, Chichiro Kawahara
Indonesia—Bewi Simanjuntak M. Bewi, Rudy Susanto, Muhammad Fadly, Silvana
India—Sumit Talwar, Sundeep Gulati, Lalrina Tenthlei, Suniti Damani
Malaysia—Ibrahim Bin Amir, Tan Kah Thiam, Jason Ng Keat Siang, Suhana Dewi Sabtu, Klaudia Djajalie