The new era of Nineball has today been bolstered with the addition of the new Hanoi Open Pool Championship, broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, which replaces the former Asian Open Pool Championship in a strategic name change.
Some of the game’s greatest players will descend on the capital of Vietnam for the inaugural championship as they compete for the $200,000 prize fund.
Beginning on Capital Liberation Day on 10 October, the tournament will create a landmark legacy for the City of Hanoi with the World Nineball Tour pledging its commitment to stage this world-class international sporting event every year in Vietnam.
It will also adopt the newly named Hanoi Junior Open in which some of South-East Asia’s brightest pool prospects will showcase their incredible talents.
Both the Hanoi Open Pool Championship and Hanoi Junior Open are fully backed by Hanoi City which has endorsed the event with its former name strategically changed as part of Matchroom’s exciting vision to build a sporting legacy in Hanoi.
Players who had registered to take part in this year’s Asian Open will automatically compete in the latest addition to the WNT calendar which will be held annually. Those who have obtained/requested visas or booked hotels based on the previous name will not be affected by the name change.
Reigning 2023 World Champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, who defeated Mohammad Soufi 13-10 in the final live on Sky Sports in the UK & Ireland, will be looking to dominate once again as he heads the field of 256 players taking part at Hanoi Indoor Games Gymnasium, Hanoi City, Vietnam.
Emily Frazer, Matchroom’s CEO of Multi-Sports, said: “This is major news for Nineball and it underlines our commitment to staging the first of many world-class annual events in what is one of the sport’s premier international destinations in the historic city of Hanoi.
“We are incredibly excited that many of the game’s leading players will take part in the rebranded Hanoi Open Pool Championship, which enhances the World Professional Nineball Pool Corporation’s schedule.
“We are also delighted to receive support from the relevant authorities in Hanoi, who share our vision to take this tournament – and the Hanoi Junior Open – to grand new heights.”
Vietcontent President Ms. Tran Thuy Chi added: “Vietnam currently is one of the countries with the largest number of pool players in Asia and the World.
“In Hanoi, the capital has been considered as a strong city of 9-ball pool for many years – with Hanoi athletes having contributed 3 SEA Games gold medals to the Pool National team in 2009. It’s the reason for Hanoi to cooperate with Matchroom to host the very first Hanoi Open Pool Championship – the best opportunity to bring Hanoi to the world in bring the world to Hanoi.
“Together with Hanoi City, Vietcontent is excited to be the host partner of this event, a very meaningful event for sports fans in Vietnam.”
Live rack-by-rack scoring will be available throughout the event at www.matchroompool.com thanks to our partners PRP.
Wherever you are in the world, you can catch the action through Matchroom’s global broadcast partners, or via Matchroom.Live in selected territories.
Fans in the UK and Ireland-based fans being able to catch this on Sky Sports and those watching in Scandinavia, the Baltics, Poland, and Netherlands can enjoy live on Viaplay. The final two days will also be available through Rigour Media for cuesports fans in China.
Hanoi Open Pool Championship partners VietContent will broadcast all six days on their channels for fans in Vietnam. The opening four days will be available globally via the Matchroom Pool YouTube channel.
Full broadcast details will be published ahead of the Hanoi Open Pool Championship, with ticket details to follow in the coming days.