“Post-00s” Defeat Zhao Ruliang to Win Chinese Billiards World Championship
In an intense game that had viewers on the edge of their seats, the 6th Chinese Billiards Association Chinese Billiards World Championship concluded on the 16th in Yushan County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. In the men’s final, the two “post-00s,” Zhao Ruliang and Shen Shenyi, battled it out for the championship title, with Zhao Ruliang ultimately emerging victorious for the first time.
The men’s final was a 41-win system in 81 games, divided into four stages. Zhao Ruliang took the lead in the first stage with a score of 11:7 and extended his advantage in the second stage. Shen Shenyi, however, launched a counterattack towards the end of the stage, leading to a tightly contested third stage. But with his wealth of experience, Zhao Ruliang managed to secure a 32:24 lead, entering the fourth stage.
At the start of the fourth stage, Zhao Ruliang quickly expanded his lead to 36:24 and eventually reached 40:26, putting him in a prime position to win the game. With one final shot, he clinched victory, taking away the championship bonus of 3 million yuan. Second runner-up Shen Shenyi received 1.2 million yuan for his efforts.
The men’s team of this Chinese Billiards World Championship boasted a strong lineup, with all the top 16 professional men from the Chinese Billiards Association in attendance. Notably, Zhao Ruliang studied under one of the former tournament champions, Yang Fan, and defeated his mentor in the semi-finals to secure his spot in the final. Shen Shenyi, on the other hand, defeated the dark horse Xu Tianwei in the semi-finals. Xu Tianwei then went on to win the third-place finals, besting Yang Fan at 21:15.
In addition to the men’s competition, the World Championships also included a women’s division, where Tang Chunxiao defeated Liu Xiazhi 19:9 and claimed the championship title for the first time.
The 6th Chinese Billiards Association Chinese Billiards World Championship was a thrilling and closely contested event, showcasing the incredible skill and talent of the participating players.