Vietnamese top pool player Duong Quoc Hoang. (Photo: WPC
The tournament, brought to Vietnam by Vietcontent, will be held on October10-15 at the Indoor Athletics Complex in Hanoi.
It will see the participation of 256 athletes including 128 World Nineball Tourhigh-ranking competitors such as Joshua Filler, Shane Van Boening, FranciscoSanchez Ruiz, Ko Pin Yi, and Fedor Gorst.
A total of 200,000 USD is to offered as prize money with the winner walkingaway with 30,000 USD.
“It’s brilliant that such an amazing and beautiful tournament willtake place in Vietnam. The Vietnamese fans are very welcoming to everyone and Iam sure all our people will be looking forward to this event," saidnational top 9-ball player Duong Quoc Hoang.
"I am so excited the World Nineball Tour is coming to Hanoi. I’m excitedfor this opportunity and want to thank Vietcontent and Matchroom and everyoneelse who has made this possible."
It is the first time a world elite event has been held in this country whichhas seen a booming development of billiards that attracted the attentions ofMatchroom Pool.
In May, Matchroom Multi Sport Managing Director Emily Frazer posted photos of Vietnambilliards on her Facebook, which created information about the leadingnine-ball tournament system to visit Vietnam soon.
In a clip on Matchroom Pool's fanpage, Frazer officially confirmed Hanoi as thenext destination of the tournament.
“The World Nineball Tour is expanding and we’re going to the beautiful Hanoicity in Vietnam," she said.
"We’re really excited. The final two days will be live on Sky Sports. SkySports have been instrumental to our push of Nineball following the scheduleand putting these events on back to back so they’ve been really pushingNineball for us with the calendar. We have a great team on the ground withVietcontent and the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sport.”
In addition to the tournament for the elites, the Vietnam Junior Open will beheld for the under-17 athletes vying for a purse of 10,000 USD from October13-14.
It is part of Matchroom’s commitment to growing the grassroots of the game.
“The Vietnam Junior Open will take place during the Asian Open. It’s a greatopportunity for Juniors to come onto the main stage and get experience in frontof the cameras," Fraser said.
Vietcontent General Director Tran Thuy Chi said: “Vietcontent is excited to bethe host partner of this event, a very meaningful event for billiards fans inVietnam.
"Vietnam currently is one of the countries with the largest number of poolplayers in Asia and the world. Hà Nội has been considered as a strong city ofNineball pool for many years," said Chi, adding that the date of the AsianOpen Championship in October coincides with the Independence Day of Hanoi so itis the best opportunity to bring Hà Nội to the world and bring the world to thecity./.
VNA
