His People's Champ

With the stands packed, Orcollo (above) fell under the pressure of expectations from Filipino expats.

Much of the credit for the resurgence of the World 9-Ball Championship has to be given to the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation (QBSF), the local organizing group that has agreed to the host and promote the marquee World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) event through 2014. After the world's financial crisis forced Barry Hearn's Matchroom Sport to drop the event after 2007, the WPA canceled the championship for the next two years before finally convincing the QBSF to take it on in 2010.

Last year's championship was held inside the QBSF's training center in Doha, a confined space too small for the daily crowds. The event, won by the Philippines' Francisco Bustamante, was barely publicized, leaving players and fans feeling as if the world championship was more like a regional tour stop.

This year the Qatari federation stepped up its efforts. The event moved to the Al Sadd Sports Club, a multipurpose sports facility perfectly sized for smaller sports like pool. The Al Sadd offered seating for nearly 1,500 fans. Tens of thousands of Filipino overseas workers live and toil in Doha, and they offered a readymade crowd of vocal partisans for the nearly two-dozen Filipino stars who entered this year's event.

From the start of group play, the sport's biggest names played to lofty expectations, with very few of the miracle upsets that have become commonplace in large world championships. This was clearly going to be one for the big boys.

Still, the group stage proved a showcase of the vast talent level around the world. For the first time ever, two players from Iran, Soheil Vahedi and Takhti Zarakani, made it to the 64-player knockout stage. Two young brothers from Lebanon, Mohammad Ali Berjaoui and Mazen Berjawi, won matches and nearly made it through. Although no players from Qatar and other Gulf countries made it to the final 64, it was clear from their spirited performances that players in the region have made massive improvements in the last few years.

"These Middle Eastern guys have improved a lot in the last two years," said Darren Appleton, after emerging victorious in a tough group match with Bader Al Awadi of Kuwait. "I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them get to the final within two years."

When the dust settled after four days, however, nearly all of pool's biggest names made it through to the knockout stages. Over a quarter of the final 64 were Filipinos and more than a third Europeans. Six Taiwanese qualified, along with all five entrants from Japan. The only two Americans in the field, Shane Van Boeing and Hunter Lombardo, also made it through.

In the round of 64, Mika Immonen headed for the exits after the Philippines' Antonio Gabica held off the Finn in an 11-10 thriller. Last year's runner up Kuo Po Cheng of Taiwan got knocked out by England's Mark Gray, who came back from 10-6 down to win, 11-10.

These matches were just a taste of things to come. The following day would see the field trimmed from 32 players down to four. With the title starting to appear in sight, the Al Sadd became a pressure cooker of jangled nerves and unpredictable outcomes that produced a legendary day of pool.

One of the surprise semifinalists was Gray. After barely getting by Kuo, the 37-year-old former snooker player matched up against Chris Melling in the final 32. Battling his hot-shooting countryman, Gray did just enough to barely survive another nail biter, 11-10. Gray, whose confidence was clearly growing by the match, got a breather when he sprinted by Gabica in the round of 16, 11-6. But his next match in the quarterfinals against Van Boening presented a very steep hill to climb.

Van Boening hasn't had much success in his many overseas travels, but in Qatar, he had looked impressive all week. Van Boening relished the fact the he and the newcomer Lombardo were the only two Americans who came to Doha to compete.

"It's motivation because I'm pretty much here by myself," Van Boening said. "I want to win this for the USA."

Van Boening certainly looked the goods in his first two alternate-break races to 11 in the knockout stage, manhandling Russia's Konstanin Stepanov and the very capable Chang Jung Lin of Taiwan. In the round of 16, Van Boening then outlasted Appleton in a titanic 11-10 match where the American speared a long cut on the 4 in the case game.

Facing Gray for a spot in the final four, Van Boening fell behind, 4-0. Down 10-6 and on the verge of elimination, though, Van Boening kicked it into another gear and moved to within a game. Gray had the break in the 20th frame but fouled by failing to get three balls past the head string. Van Boening had the clear path to a tie and got down with the bridge for an elementary cut on the 9 ball. To his horror, however, he missed. The two fought over the 9 for 15 minutes until an errant safe by Van Boening gave Gray an open shot, which he potted for the win.

"I didn't expect to be in the semifinals," Gray said afterward, as a devastated Van Boening slumped in his match chair for 30 minutes. "But I'm thinking I can win it. I usually play good on the big stage. And my confidence is really high right now. Who knows"?

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