Poland and Austria sealed the first quarter-final spots at the 2023 World Cup of Pool at Pazo de Feiras e Congresos de Lugo, Spain in partnership with The Asociación Gallega de Billar Pool (AGP), Xunta de Galicia and EIDF Solar live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in Spain, the USA, Italy, and Brazil, Viaplay in Scandinavia, the Baltics and Poland and broadcasters worldwide.
Before the second round matches got underway, the USA’s Shane Van Boening and Skyler Woodward wrapped up a comfortable passage in the final round one match-up over South Korea’s Seo Seoa and Kang Lee 7-1.
At first, the contest was close at 1-1 after errors from both sides led to an open start to the match up but from there it was plain sailing for Woodward and Van Boening as they showed their experience and quality on the main stage to wrap up victory. Lee had a chance at 3-1 down on the six after being left a good lie by Seoa but it wasn’t capitalised on to allow the USA in for 4-1.
At 6-1 down, Seoa was left in a tricky hook by the USA leaving her to foul, and from there, victory was routine for Van Boening and Woodward with only four balls left on the table.
USA: Skyler Woodward (R) and Shane Van Boening (L)｜©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
In the first of the second round action, Albania were looking to get the better of Poland and reach the quarter-finals for the first time but it didn’t get off to the best of starts for UK Open champion Eklent Kaçi and Besar Spahiu with the latter missing a routine nine for 1-0. At 2-0 down, Kaçi fluked the six to allow Albania in and they took advantage to make it two apiece.
Albania’s errors were stacking up and a loose safety from Spahiu brought in Poland to attack further for a 5-3 lead and leave their opponents ruing costly mistakes. Kaçi put a two ball up the rail but it rattled around only for Poland’s Wiktor Zielinski to also miss the same ball, Spahiu also failed to deliver before Konrad Juszczyszyn tapped it in to reach the hill first.
The match was up for Albania in the tenth after Spahiu‘s bank saw him scratch to give ball in hand for Zielinski and Juszczyszyn to finish the job for an impressive win to meet either Germany or Canada next.
Poland: Wiktor Zielinski (R) and Konrad Juszczyszyn (L)｜©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
Two-time champions Austria survived an early scare in round one coming from behind to defeat Australia on the hill with Albin Ouschan and Mario He knowing a stronger performance would be needed to oust Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Sanjin Pehlivanovic and Ajdin Piknjac in the second stage. Pehlivanovic and Piknjac who both play out of Bosnia & Herzegovina’s capital Sarajevo went 2-1 up early on to take the early fight to Austria but that was truly as good as it got for the pair in this contest.
Austria turned it quickly around for a 4-2 lead and they led from there on in despite Bosnia getting a rack on the board for 4-3. In the next rack, Pehlivanovic played a loose safety on the six and it gave Ouschan and He there moment to be two away from victory. In the end, it was routine for Austria with Great Britain or Vietnam awaiting next with Ouschan crunching three balls in the same pocket on the break to provide a routine road map for victory in the final rack 7-3.
Austria: Albin Ouschan (R) and Mario He (L)｜©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
Frida, 30 June (pm) Match Odds
Philippines 1/2 – 6/4 Spain B
Singapore 11/10 – 4/6 China
Netherlands 11/8 – 8/15 Chinese Taipei
The 2023 World Cup of Pool will be played alongside the 31st Galician Team Pool Billiards Championship, which will bring together more than 1,000 players in the Pazo de Ferias y Congresos de Lugo, where more than 40 tables will be in action. The participants in this tournament considered the biggest in Europe, will compete for the regional titles and the prizes arranged by the Galician Association of Pool Billiards.
TICKETS
Additional tickets for the 2023 World Cup of Pool are now on sale with allocations selling out within 24 hours. Buy tickets here from only €10
©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
2023 雙打世界盃 – 奧地利、波蘭率先晉級八強
2023 撞球雙打世界盃第三日晚場賽事繼續在西班牙盧戈的展覽會議中心展開；奪冠熱門奧地利、波蘭先後擊敗各自對手，率先晉級八強。
首輪最後一場比賽，2號種子美國隊 (Shane Van Boening & Skyler Woodward) 迎戰32支球隊當中唯一由女將坐鎮、因女子球員的成績排名而獲得入圍的韓國隊 (Seo Seoa 徐序亞 & Kang Lee)。開場，美國隊一度處於被動，拉斯維加斯公開賽女子組冠軍徐序亞幾乎憑藉一己之力帶領韓國隊領先。不過隊友 Kang Lee 的低級失誤讓他們所有的努力付諸東流，美國隊笑納大禮，並連續完成多次大摸，7-1 大勝韓國，搭上16強末班車。
©Taka G. Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
凌晨時段，兩場16強提前打響。奧地利 (Albin Ouschan & Mario He) 和波蘭 (Wiktor Zielinski & Konrad Juszczyszyn) 均以 7-3 的相同比分擊敗波士尼亞與赫塞哥維納 (Sanjin Pehlivanovic & Ajdin Piknjac) 與阿爾巴尼亞 (Eklent Kaçi & Besar Spahiu)。兩場比賽也能得出相同結論，獲勝的雙方都配備了兩位世界頂級高手，而波黑和阿爾巴尼亞儘管有著三金、卡奇這樣的球員領軍，不過搭檔實力相對較弱，還是未能實現爆冷。奧地利和波蘭率先晉級八強。