The World Pool Championship has thrown up some incredible battles over the years, with spectators treated to extraordinary levels of entertainment. Professional pool players compete in several different versions, all overseen by the World Pool-Billiard Association. These events take place all across the world—from the United Arab Emirates to China and Germany—similar to the World Pool Masters.
Exploring the greatest matches in World Pool Championship History is a great way to understand the tournament’s prestige. We’ve already checked out some of the most exciting pool matches in US history, but this casts the net even wider. In fact, many recent winners of World Pool Championships haven’t been from the US at all. Countries like the Philippines, South Africa, and England have tasted success in recent years, pointing to the sport’s burgeoning global popularity.
Keep reading for a comprehensive deep dive into the five greatest matches in World Pool Championships history, as chosen by our passionate experts. We’ll delve a little deeper into the several WPA-sanctioned championships before giving a round-up of the five most competitive and hair-raising matches.
World Pool Championships: The Different Options
As mentioned, the World Pool Championships can cover several different variants, depending on the rules and number of balls in play. Before we go into more detail regarding some of the greatest matches played, we’ll give a brief explanation of the options.
● WPA World Nine-Ball Championship: Arguably the most popular World Pool Championship, the Nine-Ball option has been contested since 1990 and is one of the most fast-paced options.
● WPA Women’s World Nine-Ball Championship: The premier women’s World Pool Championship event has also been contested since 1990.
● WPA World Eight-Ball Championship: A newer option founded in 2004 that was restarted in 2022 and uses Eight-Ball pool rules.
● WPA World Blackball Championship: A championship focused on blackball, a cue sport similar to eight-ball but with different rules. It’s particularly popular in Europe.
● WPA World Ten-Ball Championship: Perhaps the most prestigious and demanding version, first contested in 2008.
Understanding the differences between these competitions is fundamental to knowing what’s going on as a spectator. Without doing so, the rules and regulations can quickly cloud an experience. It’s very similar to the online casino world, for example, where all games have slightly different rules that must always be learned prior to playing. Before playing at an online casino site in New Zealand, understanding how games like online slots and live dealer titles work is imperative. It’s the same with the World Pool Championships—without a little knowledge of the backgrounds of the variants, watching the matches can be extremely confusing.
Top 5 Greatest Matches in World Pool Championships History
Now we’ve briefly explained the differences between some of the main World Pool Championships variants, let’s explore the five most exciting matches held to date.
2010 World Eight-Ball Championships Final: Karl Boyes vs. Niels Feijen
In one of the closest matches in World Pool Championships history, the English Karl Boyes prevailed over Dutch legend Niels Feijen in a nail-biting 13–12 victory. Both players displayed immense skill and tactical mastery, but it was Boyes who managed to hold his nerve to edge out the victory under intense pressure. More than a decade on, and this is still the No. 1 World Pool Championship match for many fans of the sport.
2007 World Eight-Ball Championships Final: Ronnie Alcano vs. Dennis Orcollo
A clash of the Fillipo titans, Ronnie Alcano and Denis Orcollo’s 2007 World Eight-Ball Championships Final went all the way down to the wire. Alcano’s remarkable shot-making and composure allowed him to edge out Orcollo in a closely contested match, with the overall score being 11–8.
2022 World Ten-Ball Championships Final: Wojciech Szewczyk vs. Christopher Tevez
Wojciech Szewczyk and Christopher Tevez fought a tense and strategic final, with Szewczyk’s precise shot-making ultimately securing victory over the budding Peruvian wildcard. Spectators loved the underdog story and the match’s back-and-forth pace. It looked as if Tevez might score a shock victory at one point, but Szewcyk rose to the challenge to complete a 10–8 win.
2018 Women’s World Eight-Ball Championships Final: Han Yu vs. Xiaotong Wang
The 2018 Women’s Eight-Ball Championships Final was a real example of how strong Chinese pool players were, with Han Yu and Xiaotang Wang battling for the trophy. Held in Sanya, the game went down to a 9–6 victory for Han, who edged out her compatriot.
2008 World Blackball Championship Final: Wetsi Morake vs. Yulan Govender
Widely regarded as the battle of South Africa, Wetsi Morake and Yulan Govender played an intense final during the 2008 World Blackball Championship. It was a poster for South African pool, with Morake ending up the ultimate winner.
