View source for 2012 WPA World Nine-ball Championship

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox tournament
| name = WPA World 9-Ball Championship 2012
| image = 
| caption = 
| location = Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation<br>[[Doha]], [[Qatar]]
| start_date = June 22, 2012
| end_date = June 29, 2012
| sport = [[9-ball]]
| participants = 128
| tournament_format = [[Double-elimination tournament|Double elimination]] / [[Knockout tournament|Single elimination]]
| host = [[WPA World Nine-ball Championship]]
| champion = {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Darren Appleton]]
|runner-up1 = {{flagicon|CHN}} [[Li Hewen]]
| previous = [[2011 WPA World Nine-ball Championship|2012]]
| next = [[2013 WPA World Nine-ball Championship|2013]]
}}

The '''2012 [[WPA World Nine-ball Championship]]''' was a professional [[nine-ball]] pocket billiards ([[Pool (cue sports)|pool]]) [[List of WPA World Nine-ball champions|championship]], sanctioned by the [[World Pool-Billiard Association]] (WPA) and organised by [[Matchroom Sport]]. It was held from June 22 to 29 in [[Doha]], [[Qatar]], hosted by the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation. Qualifying tournaments were held from June 20 to 22, with the [[Al Sadd Sports Club]] hosting both qualifying and final tournaments.

British [[Darren Appleton]] won the championship defeating China's [[Li Hewen]] 13&ndash;12 in the final.<ref name="azbfinish">{{Cite web |title=WPA World 9-Ball Championship 2012 |author= |work=azbilliards.com |date= |accessdate=August 10, 2018 |url=http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/174-world-9-ball-championship/4580-wpa-world-9-ball-championship-2012/results/ |language= |quote= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912123944/http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/174-world-9-ball-championship/4580-wpa-world-9-ball-championship-2012/results/ |archive-date=September 12, 2017 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> It was Appleton's second world title after having won the [[WPA World Ten-ball Championship|2008 10-ball World Championship]] and his first world title in 9-ball. Defending champion [[Yukio Akakariyama]] was defeated in the round of 32, by future champion [[Thorsten Hohmann]]. A total of [[US dollars|US$]]276,000 in prize money was distributed for the tournament, with the World Champion receiving $40,000.<ref name="azbfinish"/>

==Format==
[[File:Efren Reyes in the World 9-Ball Pool Championship (4).jpg|thumb|right|[[Efren Reyes]] playing at the event.]]
The 128 participating players were divided into 16 groups, in which they competed in a [[double elimination]] tournament against each other. The remaining 64 players in each group qualified for the final round played in the knockout system.<ref name="CSNS">{{cite web |url=http://www.csns.ca/Charts/WPC02F64.pdf |title=2002 WPA World Pool Championship |publisher=Cue Sports Nova |website=csns.ca |date=July 18, 2015 |access-date=August 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923211546/http://www.csns.ca/Charts/WPC02F64.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |url-status = dead|df=mdy-all }}</ref> The event was played under the {{cuegloss|alternating break}} format.<ref name="SemiPreview"/>

===Prize money===
The event's prize money stayed similar to that of the previous years, with winner [[Darren Appleton]] winning $40,000.<ref name="azbfinish"/>
{| class="wikitable" 
! Position || Prize
|-
| First Place (champion) || [[USD|$]]40,000 
|-
| Second Place (runner-up) || [[USD|$]]20,000
|-
| Third place (semi-finalist || [[USD|$]]12,000
|-
| Fifth place (quarter finalist) || [[USD|$]]8,000
|-
| Ninth place (loser in round of 16) || [[USD|$]]5,000
|-
| Seventeenth place (loser in round of 32) || [[USD|$]]3,500
|-
| Thirty Third (loser in round of 64) || [[USD|$]]2,000
|}

==Tournament summary==
The event was played in the {{cuegloss|alternating break}} format.<ref name="SemiPreview">{{Cite web |title=The Gang of Four Goes for Glory at World 9-Ball Championship |author= |work=azbilliards.com |date= |accessdate=August 10, 2018 |url=http://www.azbilliards.com/news/stories/9101-the-gang-of-four-goes-for-glory-at-world-9-ball-championship/ |language= |quote= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317040130/http://www.azbilliards.com/news/stories/9101-the-gang-of-four-goes-for-glory-at-world-9-ball-championship/ |archive-date=March 17, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> In the event's semi-finals, Li Hewen defeated Germany's [[Ralf Souquet]], 11–6, whereas Darren Appleton defeated Japan's [[Naoyuki Ōi]] 11–7.<ref name="azbi_Appl">{{Cite web |title=Appleton and Lee Fight For World 9-Ball Supremacy |author= |work=azbilliards.com |date= |accessdate=August 10, 2018 |url=http://www.azbilliards.com/news/stories/9102-appleton-and-lee-fight-for-world-9-ball-supremacy/ |language= |quote= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326135800/http://www.azbilliards.com/news/stories/9102-appleton-and-lee-fight-for-world-9-ball-supremacy/ |archive-date=March 26, 2015 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> In the final, Appleton would take a heavy lead, moving to 9–2 in front, and later 11–3 in a race to 13. Li would make a comeback, to 12–6, before Appleton had the opportunity to win the tournament with an open table in the 19th rack.<ref name="finalreview">{{Cite web |title=Its Dynamite in Doha |author= |work=azbilliards.com |date= |accessdate=August 10, 2018 |url=http://www.azbilliards.com/news/stories/9103-its-dynamite-in-doha/ |language= |quote= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150326041900/http://www.azbilliards.com/news/stories/9103-its-dynamite-in-doha/ |archive-date=March 26, 2015 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> Appleton would Snooker himself with just four balls left on the table, and Li would win the next 6 racks to make the tournament reach a decisive rack.<ref name="finalreview"/>

Appleton would win the decisive frame, jump up onto the table, lifting his cue above his head. Appleton commented after the event that he was thinking "I can't lose, he needs a miracle" and, that at 12–10, he "started feeling the heat."<ref name="finalreview"/>

== Finals ==
{{64TeamBracket|seeds=no|nowrap=yes
| RD1=Round of 64
| RD2=Round of 32
| RD3=Round of 16
| RD4=Quarter-finals
| RD5=Semi-finals
| RD6=Final
<!-- 1. Round -->
| RD1-team01={{flagicon|DEU}} '''[[Ralf Souquet]]'''
| RD1-score01='''11'''
| RD1-team02={{flagicon|ALB}} [[Nick Malai]]
| RD1-score02=4
| RD1-team03={{flagicon|VEN}} '''{{Interlanguage link|Jonny Martinez (pool player)|lt=Jonny Martinez|de|Jonny Martinez}}'''
| RD1-score03='''11'''
| RD1-team04={{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takashi Uraoka]]
| RD1-score04=8
| RD1-team05={{flagicon|TPE}} '''[[Fu Che-wei]]'''
| RD1-score05='''11'''
| RD1-team06={{flagicon|SRB}} [[Andrea Klasovic]]
| RD1-score06=4
| RD1-team07={{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jayson Shaw]]
| RD1-score07=6
| RD1-team08={{flagicon|ITA}} '''{{Interlanguage link|Bruno Muratore|de}}'''
| RD1-score08='''11'''
| RD1-team09={{flagicon|FIN}} {{Interlanguage link|Aki Heiskanen (pool player)|de|Aki Heiskanen|lt=Aki Heiskanen}}
| RD1-score09=5
| RD1-team10={{flagicon|TPE}} '''{{Interlanguage link|Hsu Kai-lun|de}}'''
| RD1-score10='''11'''
| RD1-team11={{flagicon|HKG}} [[Andrew Kong]]
| RD1-score11=8
| RD1-team12={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Dennis Orcollo]]'''
| RD1-score12='''11'''
| RD1-team13={{flagicon|NLD}} '''[[Nick van den Berg]]'''
| RD1-score13='''11'''
| RD1-team14={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Marlon Caneda]]
| RD1-score14=6
| RD1-team15={{flagicon|CHN}} '''{{Interlanguage link|Han Haoxiang|de}}'''
| RD1-score15='''11'''
| RD1-team16={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Israel Rota]]
| RD1-score16=8
| RD1-team17={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Lee Van Corteza]]'''
| RD1-score17='''11'''
| RD1-team18={{flagicon|BEL}} {{Interlanguage link|Serge Das|de}}
| RD1-score18=4
| RD1-team19={{flagicon|MLT}} [[Tony Drago]]
| RD1-score19=10
| RD1-team20={{flagicon|FIN}} '''[[Mika Immonen]]'''
| RD1-score20='''11'''
| RD1-team21={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Antonio Gabica]]'''
| RD1-score21='''11'''
| RD1-team22={{flagicon|AUT}} [[Mario He]]
| RD1-score22=7
| RD1-team23={{flagicon|FRA}} {{Interlanguage link|Vincent Facquet|de}}
| RD1-score23=4
| RD1-team24={{flagicon|TPE}} '''[[Yang Ching-shun]]'''
| RD1-score24='''11'''
| RD1-team25={{flagicon|KUW}} [[Majed Alazmi]]
| RD1-score25=8
| RD1-team26={{flagicon|KUW}} '''[[Khaled al-Mutairi]]'''
| RD1-score26='''11'''
| RD1-team27={{flagicon|TPE}} [[Chang Yu-Lung]]
| RD1-score27=10
| RD1-team28={{flagicon|KUW}} '''[[Omar Al-Shaheen]]'''
| RD1-score28='''11'''
| RD1-team29={{flagicon|CAN}} '''[[John Morra]]'''
| RD1-score29='''11'''
| RD1-team30={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Elvis Calasang]]
| RD1-score30=7
| RD1-team31={{flagicon|CAN}} [[Jason Klatt]]
| RD1-score31=9
| RD1-team32={{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Li Hewen]]'''
| RD1-score32='''11'''
| RD1-team33={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Carlo Biado]]
| RD1-score33=10
| RD1-team34={{flagicon|JPN}} '''[[Naoyuki Ōi]]'''
| RD1-score34='''11'''
| RD1-team35={{flagicon|TPE}} '''[[Chang Jung-Lin]]'''
| RD1-score35='''11'''
| RD1-team36={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Joven Alba]]
| RD1-score36=2
| RD1-team37={{flagicon|DEU}} '''[[Thorsten Hohmann]]'''
| RD1-score37='''11'''
| RD1-team38={{flagicon|KUW}} [[Badr al-Awadi]]
| RD1-score38=4
| RD1-team39={{flagicon|DEU}} [[Thomas Engert]]
| RD1-score39=9
| RD1-team40={{flagicon|JPN}} '''[[Yukio Akakariyama]]'''
| RD1-score40='''11'''
| RD1-team41={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Karl Boyes (pool player)|Karl Boyes]]'''
| RD1-score41='''11'''
| RD1-team42={{flagicon|VIE}} [[Do The Kien]]
| RD1-score42=9
| RD1-team43={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Francisco Bustamante]]
| RD1-score43=6
| RD1-team44={{flagicon|TPE}} '''[[Chao Fong-Pang]]'''
| RD1-score44='''11'''
| RD1-team45={{flagicon|PRT}} {{Interlanguage link|Manuel Gama|de}}
| RD1-score45=6
| RD1-team46={{flagicon|DEU}} '''[[Dominic Jentsch]]'''
| RD1-score46='''11'''
| RD1-team47={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Efren Reyes]]'''
| RD1-score47='''11'''
| RD1-team48={{flagicon|SGP}} {{Interlanguage link|Toh Lian Han|de}}
| RD1-score48=6
| RD1-team49={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Roberto Gomez (pool player)|Roberto Gomez]]
| RD1-score49=4
| RD1-team50={{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Liu Haitao (pool player)|Liu Haitao]]'''
| RD1-score50='''11'''
| RD1-team51={{flagicon|GRC}} '''[[Nikos Ekonomopoulos|N. Ekonomopoulos]]'''
| RD1-score51='''11'''
| RD1-team52={{flagicon|KOR}} [[Ryu Seung-woo (pool player)|Ryu Seung-woo]]
| RD1-score52=5
| RD1-team53={{flagicon|NZL}} '''[[Matt Edwards (pool player)|Matt Edwards]]'''
| RD1-score53='''11'''
| RD1-team54={{flagicon|JPN}} {{Interlanguage link|Tōru Kuribayashi|de}}
| RD1-score54=7
| RD1-team55={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Darren Appleton]]'''
| RD1-score55='''11'''
| RD1-team56={{flagicon|POL}} [[Mateusz Śniegocki]]
| RD1-score56=5
| RD1-team57={{flagicon|RUS}} '''[[Konstantin Stepanov]]'''
| RD1-score57='''11'''
| RD1-team58={{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ryoji Hori]]
| RD1-score58=5
| RD1-team59={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Ronato Alcano]]
| RD1-score59=9
| RD1-team60={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Jundel Mazon]]'''
| RD1-score60='''11'''
| RD1-team61={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Daryl Peach]]
| RD1-score61=9
| RD1-team62={{flagicon|TPE}} '''{{Interlanguage link|Lo Li-wen|de}}'''
| RD1-score62='''11'''
| RD1-team63={{flagicon|TPE}} '''[[Ko Pin-yi]]'''
| RD1-score63='''11'''
| RD1-team64={{flagicon|NLD}} [[Huidji See]]
| RD1-score64=6
<!-- 2. Round -->
| RD2-team01={{flagicon|DEU}} '''[[Ralf Souquet]]'''
| RD2-score01='''11'''
| RD2-team02={{flagicon|VEN}} {{Interlanguage link|Jonny Martinez (pool player)|lt=Jonny Martinez|de|Jonny Martinez}}
| RD2-score02=7
| RD2-team03={{flagicon|TPE}} [[Fu Che-wei]]
| RD2-score03=9
| RD2-team04={{flagicon|ITA}} '''{{Interlanguage link|Bruno Muratore|de}}'''
| RD2-score04='''11'''
| RD2-team05={{flagicon|TPE}} {{Interlanguage link|Hsu Kai-lun|de}}
| RD2-score05=8
| RD2-team06={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Dennis Orcollo]]'''
| RD2-score06='''11'''
| RD2-team07={{flagicon|NLD}} '''[[Nick van den Berg]]'''
| RD2-score07='''11'''
| RD2-team08={{flagicon|CHN}} {{Interlanguage link|Han Haoxiang|de}}
| RD2-score08=9
| RD2-team09={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Lee Van Corteza]]
| RD2-score09=5
| RD2-team10={{flagicon|FIN}} '''[[Mika Immonen]]'''
| RD2-score10='''11'''
| RD2-team11={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Antonio Gabica]]'''
| RD2-score11='''11'''
| RD2-team12={{flagicon|TPE}} [[Yang Ching-shun]]
| RD2-score12=9
| RD2-team13={{flagicon|KUW}} [[Khaled al-Mutairi]]
| RD2-score13=6
| RD2-team14={{flagicon|KUW}} '''[[Omar Al-Shaheen]]'''
| RD2-score14='''11'''
| RD2-team15={{flagicon|CAN}} [[John Morra]]
| RD2-score15=8
| RD2-team16={{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Li Hewen]]'''
| RD2-score16='''11'''
| RD2-team17={{flagicon|JPN}} '''[[Naoyuki Ōi]]'''
| RD2-score17='''11'''
| RD2-team18={{flagicon|TPE}} [[Chang Jung-Lin]]
| RD2-score18=3
| RD2-team19={{flagicon|DEU}} '''[[Thorsten Hohmann]]'''
| RD2-score19='''11'''
| RD2-team20={{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yukio Akakariyama]]
| RD2-score20=9
| RD2-team21={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Karl Boyes (pool player)|Karl Boyes]]'''
| RD2-score21='''11'''
| RD2-team22={{flagicon|TPE}} [[Chao Fong-Pang]]
| RD2-score22=8
| RD2-team23={{flagicon|DEU}} '''[[Dominic Jentsch]]'''
| RD2-score23='''11'''
| RD2-team24={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Efren Reyes]]
| RD2-score24=10
| RD2-team25={{flagicon|CHN}} [[Liu Haitao (pool player)|Liu Haitao]]
| RD2-score25=8
| RD2-team26={{flagicon|GRC}} '''[[Nikos Ekonomopoulos|N. Ekonomopoulos]]'''
| RD2-score26='''11'''
| RD2-team27={{flagicon|NZL}} [[Matt Edwards (pool player)|Matt Edwards]]
| RD2-score27=10
| RD2-team28={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Darren Appleton]]'''
| RD2-score28='''11'''
| RD2-team29={{flagicon|RUS}} [[Konstantin Stepanov]]
| RD2-score29=3
| RD2-team30={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Jundel Mazon]]'''
| RD2-score30='''11'''
| RD2-team31={{flagicon|TPE}} {{Interlanguage link|Lo Li-wen|de}}
| RD2-score31=10
| RD2-team32={{flagicon|TPE}} '''[[Ko Pin-yi]]'''
| RD2-score32='''11'''
<!-- Round of 16 -->
| RD3-team01={{flagicon|DEU}} '''[[Ralf Souquet]]'''
| RD3-score01='''11'''
| RD3-team02={{flagicon|ITA}} {{Interlanguage link|Bruno Muratore|de}}
| RD3-score02=4
| RD3-team03={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Dennis Orcollo]]
| RD3-score03=6
| RD3-team04={{flagicon|NLD}} '''[[Nick van den Berg]]'''
| RD3-score04='''11'''
| RD3-team05={{flagicon|FIN}} [[Mika Immonen]]
| RD3-score05=9
| RD3-team06={{flagicon|PHI}} '''[[Antonio Gabica]]'''
| RD3-score06='''11'''
| RD3-team07={{flagicon|KUW}} [[Omar Al-Shaheen]]
| RD3-score07=9
| RD3-team08={{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Li Hewen]]'''
| RD3-score08='''11'''
| RD3-team09={{flagicon|JPN}} '''[[Naoyuki Ōi]]'''
| RD3-score09='''11'''
| RD3-team10={{flagicon|DEU}} [[Thorsten Hohmann]]
| RD3-score10=9
| RD3-team11={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Karl Boyes (pool player)|Karl Boyes]]'''
| RD3-score11='''11'''
| RD3-team12={{flagicon|DEU}} [[Dominic Jentsch]]
| RD3-score12=10
| RD3-team13={{flagicon|GRC}} [[Nikos Ekonomopoulos|N. Ekonomopoulos]]
| RD3-score13=8
| RD3-team14={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Darren Appleton]]'''
| RD3-score14='''11'''
| RD3-team15={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Jundel Mazon]]
| RD3-score15=9
| RD3-team16={{flagicon|TPE}} '''[[Ko Pin-yi]]'''
| RD3-score16='''11'''
<!-- Quarter-finals -->
| RD4-team01={{flagicon|DEU}} '''[[Ralf Souquet]]'''
| RD4-score01='''11'''
| RD4-team02={{flagicon|NLD}} [[Nick van den Berg]]
| RD4-score02=9
| RD4-team03={{flagicon|PHI}} [[Antonio Gabica]]
| RD4-score03=10
| RD4-team04={{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Li Hewen]]'''
| RD4-score04='''11'''
| RD4-team05={{flagicon|JPN}} '''[[Naoyuki Ōi]]'''
| RD4-score05='''11'''
| RD4-team06={{flagicon|ENG}} [[Karl Boyes (pool player)|Karl Boyes]]
| RD4-score06=9
| RD4-team07={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Darren Appleton]]'''
| RD4-score07='''11'''
| RD4-team08={{flagicon|TPE}} [[Ko Pin-yi]]
| RD4-score08=9
<!-- Semi-finals -->
| RD5-team01={{flagicon|DEU}} [[Ralf Souquet]]
| RD5-score01=6
| RD5-team02={{flagicon|CHN}} '''[[Li Hewen]]'''
| RD5-score02='''11'''
| RD5-team03={{flagicon|JPN}} [[Naoyuki Ōi]]
| RD5-score03=7
| RD5-team04={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Darren Appleton]]'''
| RD5-score04='''11'''
<!-- Final -->
| RD6-team01={{flagicon|CHN}} [[Li Hewen]]
| RD6-score01=12
| RD6-team02={{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Darren Appleton]]'''
| RD6-score02='''13'''
}}

===Grand Final===
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Player !!rowspan=2|{{glossary link
|glossary=Glossary of cue sports terms
|term=Lag
|text=
}} !!colspan=25|Rack !!rowspan=2|Racks<br>won
|-
!1!!2!!3!!4!!5!!6!!7!!8!!9!!10!!11!!12!!13!!14!!15!!16!!17!!18!!19!!20!!21!!22!!23!!24!!25
|-
|align=left|{{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Darren Appleton]]''' || • || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]]|| [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||  || ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]]||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]]||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||  ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||  || || ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||  || || || || || || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||'''13'''
|-
|align=left|{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Li Hewen]] || || || ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||  || || || || || || ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||  || || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||  ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] || [[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||[[File:9 ball.svg|alt=Won|20x20px]] ||  || '''12'''
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.azbilliards.com/tours_and_events/174-world-9-ball-championship/4580-wpa-world-9-ball-championship-2012/results/ Tournament at azbilliards.com]

{{World 9-ball championship}}

[[Category:WPA World Nine-ball Championship|2012]]
[[Category:2012 in cue sports|WPA World Nine-ball Championship]]
[[Category:2012 in Qatari sport|WPA World Nine-ball Championship]]
[[Category:International sports competitions hosted by Qatar]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Doha]]