Nine-time national champion Nguyễn Tuấn Anh aka Tkon (left) and world champion Francisco Sánchez Ruíz perform at the press conference of the Hanoi Open Pool Championship 2023 on October 9 in Hà Nội. Photo of Vietcontent

HÀ NỘI — World cueists will gather to compete for US$200,000 worth of prizes at the Hanoi Open Pool Championship 2023.

The world elite tournament, which is one of the World 9-ball Tour series' events, is taking place for the first time in Việt Nam from October 10-15 at the Mỹ Đình Indoor Athletics Palace.

A total of 128 top international players have landed in Hà Nội and will play against 128 local competitors, who passed the qualification round, in a double-elimination format event.

"I am really excited to be here. I have never visited Việt Nam before. I couldn't believe even when I arrived at the airport seeing many fans," said Spain's Francisco Sánchez Ruíz, reigning world champion in both eight-ball and nine-ball.

"I know this is one of the biggest tournaments here by far. I really enjoyed the last four days playing at the Peri Open, an amazing tournament as I believe that a nine-ball tour is the future (of billiards).

"I can't wait for tomorrow," said the Spanish professional player.

In addition to Ruíz, other world giants include Shane Van Boening of the US, Fedor Gorst of Russia and Jayson Shaw of Scotland ready to battle for the title of the tournament which is jointly organised by Matchroom and Vietcontent.

Vietnamese competitors are Lường Đức Thiện, Bùi Trường An, Đặng Thành Kiên and Phạm Phương Nam are hot names among local talent.

World athletes and Vietnamese players check in at the Hanoi Open Pool Championship 2023 which will be held from October 10-15 at Mỹ Đình Indoor Athletics Palace.. — Photo of Vietcontent

It is the first Asian tournament of the prestigious World Nine Ball Tour competition system, along with the US Open, UK Open, European Open and Spanish Open.

In addition to the event for seniors, the Hanoi Junior Open, a playground for Southeast Asia's brightest young talents, will take place on October 13-14. As many as 64 young players under 17 years old from Australia, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, Philippines, India and Việt Nam will compete for a total prize of $10,000.

In particular, on the penultimate day of the tournament on October 14, world fans will also enjoy the performance of the legendary Efren Reyes of the Philippines.

"The World Nineball Tour is a global professional pool tour committed to staging world-class international sporting events," said Emily Frazer, managing director of Matchroom Multi Sport.

"As we broaden and strengthen the tour, we set our sights on Asia a continent we aim to develop nine-ball further in and Việt Nam is the perfect hub to launch this.

"It is important for us to deliver such opportunities like this week and expand into new territories so we can discover local talent, unveil new personalities and showcase the world’s very best to an audience craving nine-ball."

Frazer said Matchroom was so excited to be hosting its very first multi-table major event in Asia, and she couldn’t think of a better stage than Hà Nội which had a proud history in pool. 

"With the likes of world number one Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and former world champions such as Shane Van Boening and Niels Feijen, showing their support for local venues in Hà Nội, Matchroom hopes the impact of the Hanoi Open and the World Nineball Tour will be felt across Việt Nam," she said.

The Hà Nội's Culture and Sports Department welcomes athletes to the city of peace and hopes that the Hanoi Open will be a strong push for the further development of billiards in the city.

"We expect to hold more competitions in Hà Nội after the Open as our 30 districts of the city can host international events," Trần Thị Vân Anh, deputy director of the Hà Nội's Culture and Sports Department, told Việt Nam News.

"The success of the Hanoi Open will help international friends know more about us and come to visit us in the future. Through the event, we also learn more about further tournaments in general and hope that billiard experts will come to help us push the growth of the billiards movement of Hà Nội."

The Open will be televised globally through Matchrooom's broadcast partners, Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in the US, ViaPlay in central Europe, China and Việt Nam. VNS