15th China Open 9-Ball Championship: Shanghai Returns to Host Major WPA Event

The 15th China Open 9-Ball Championship will return as host at the Tangzhen Cultural and Sports Centre in Shanghai around September 9-13. The event promises high-stakes competition among top international and domestic players with a prize fund exceeding 350,000 USD. The hybrid double-elimination to single-elimination format uses race-to-9 until 32 men remain then race-to-11; women race-to-7 until 16 then race-to-9. This structure reduces early variance and rewards consistency. Standard WPA rules apply including nine-ball on the spot, no break box, and the three-point rule for fouls. Top contenders include defending men's champion Wojciech Szewczyk, Joshua Filler with three titles, Albin Ouschan with two world titles, and recent US Open winner Francisco Sanchez Ruiz. Women's field features defending champion Chihiro Kawahara, Seo Seoa, and Wei Tzu-Chien. Chinese players Dang Jinhu, Liu Shasha and Fu Xiaofang bring local appeal at the familiar Shanghai venue. The event is broadcast on Kozoom Pool YouTube and Chinese platforms.