# 2003 WPA World Nine-ball Championship

The 2003 WPA World Nine-ball Championship was the 14th edition of the WPA World Championship for 9-Ball Pool. It took place from July 12 to 20, 2003 in Cardiff, Wales.
Thorsten Hohmann won the event 17–10 victory in the final against Filipino Alex Pagulayan. Defending champion Earl Strickland was eliminated in the semi-final against Hohmann.

## Tournament format

The event featured 128 participating players which were divided into 16 groups, in which they competed in round robin mode against each other. The top four players in each group qualified for a knockout round from the stage of the last 64.

### Controversy

The event saw reigning champion Earl Strickland play 6-time world Snooker champion Steve Davis in the last 16. Before the match, held in Cardiff, during a press conference, Strickland commented that he knew that the fans were being disrespectful towards him, and favouring Davis. During the match, Strickland referred to a crowd member as an "asshole", and began to talk during Davis' shots, against the rules. Referee Michaela Tabb warned Strickland, to which he replied that Tabb should "shut up". Davis would use his entitled comfort break shortly before the next frame, despite already being down on the shot to break. Davis would later suggest this was used as gamesmanship.
During the break, Strickland put his fingers in his ears to block out the crowd's support for Davis. With the match at 10 racks to 9, in favour of Strickland, he missed a long 6 ball. Using the rest, Davis would miss an "easy" shot (according to Strickland), from where Strickland would leap out of his seat, and exclaim that Davis had "dogged it." Strickland's tirade against Davis, the crowd, and the rules of the event, continued through the main part of a post-match interview, before visibly calming and apologizing for his behaviour. After admitting regret over his reactions during the encounter with Davis, Strickland entered the arena for his next match carrying a bunch of flowers which he gave to Tabb by way of an apology, and proceeded to play in a much calmer manner for the remainder of the event.
Strickland had also played the 2003 World Snooker champion Mark Williams in the preliminaries of the competition, winning 5–3.

## Preliminary round

The following players were knocked out of the competition in the preliminary round, finishing 5th or lower in the round robin.
| | 5. Place | 6. Place | 7. Place | 8. Place |
| Group 1: | Paul Potier | Mark Lohtander | Vilmos Földes | Anton Klanfar |
| Group 2: | Kuo Po-Cheng | Phil Reilly | Ivica Putnik | Shawn Putnam |
| Group 3: | Siauw Wieto | Imran Majid | Emile Riera | Art Wiggins |
| Group 4: | Radosław Babica | Janne Kaipainen | Alexander Markut | Ronato Alcano |
| Group 5: | Rob McKenna | Jeff Kennedy | Charlie Williams | Alan Rolon |
| Group 6: | Anthony Ginn | Šandor Tot | David Reljic | Anand Manurat |
| Group 7: | Chang Pei-Wei | Roman Hybler | Andre Pelletier | David Anderson |
| Gruppe 8: | Chao Fong-Pang | Kevin Uzzell | Peter Nielsen | Erik Weiselius |
| Group 9: | Christian Reimering | William Ang Boon Lay | Konstantin Stepanow | Richard Wolff |
| Group 10: | John Papadopoulos | Bernard Tey Choon Kiat | Athanasios Vrakas | Mauro Ibarra |
| Group 11: | Stephan Cohen | Gilliano Smit | Ditto Acosta | Ceri Worts |
| Group 12: | Brent Wells | Raymond Hauge | Dominic Clemens | Bill Ferguson |
| Group 13: | Jimmy Wetch | Juan Fernández | Thorsten Schober | Hanni al-Howri |
| Group 14: | Ralph Eckert | Daryl Peach | Ryan Rampersaud | Carmine Nanula |
| Group 15: | Tom Storm | Michael Schmidt | Sascha Specchia | Michael Valentine |
| Group 16: | Nick Varner | Robert Elsley | Jason Cruz | Jong Hong-jo |

## Final round

Those that qualified, would play in a knockout round.
| Round of 64 (Race to 9) | Round of 64 (Race to 9) | Round of 32 (Race to 9) | Round of 32 (Race to 9) | Round of 16 (Race to 11) | Round of 16 (Race to 11) | | Quarter-Final (Race to 11) | Quarter-Final (Race to 11) | | Semi-Final (Race to 11) | Semi-Final (Race to 11) | | Final (Race to 17) | Final (Race to 17) |
| Tony Drago | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Evangelos Vettas | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Evangelos Vettas | 4 | Tony Drago | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Danny Harriman | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Danny Harriman | 9 | Danny Harriman | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chen Ying-chieh | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chen Ying-chieh | 6 | | | Tony Drago | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Jeong Young-hwa | 9 | | | | | | | | | |
| Jeong Young-hwa | 9 | | | | | Jeong Young-hwa | 9 | | | | | | | | | |
| Tiong Boon Tan | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tiong Boon Tan | 3 | Jeong Young-hwa | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Marlon Manalo | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Marlon Manalo | 9 | Marlon Manalo | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ernesto Domínguez | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ernesto Domínguez | 4 | | | | | | Tony Drago | 11 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Hsia Hui-kai | 8 | | | | | | |
| Lee Jang-su | 9 | | | | | | | | Hsia Hui-kai | 8 | | | | | | |
| Corey Deuel | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Corey Deuel | 2 | Lee Jang-su | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Marcus Chamat | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Marcus Chamat | 9 | Marcus Chamat | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pascal Budo | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pascal Budo | 7 | | | Marcus Chamat | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Hsia Hui-kai | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| Max Eberle | 9 | | | | | Hsia Hui-kai | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| Dennis Orcollo | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dennis Orcollo | 8 | Max Eberle | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Hsia Hui-kai | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hsia Hui-kai | 9 | Hsia Hui-kai | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mark Williams | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mark Williams | 0 | | | | | | | | | Tony Drago | 6 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Alex Pagulayan | 11 | | | |
| Alex Pagulayan | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | Alex Pagulayan | 11 | | | |
| Shintaro Sugaya | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Shintaro Sugaya | 5 | Alex Pagulayan | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Rodney Morris | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rodney Morris | 9 | Rodney Morris | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fabio Petroni | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fabio Petroni | 8 | | | Alex Pagulayan | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Ramil Gallego | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Lee Kun-fang | 9 | | | | | Ramil Gallego | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Hiroshi Takenaka | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Hiroshi Takenaka | 6 | Lee Kun-fang | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Ramil Gallego | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ramil Gallego | 9 | Ramil Gallego | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Evgeny Stalev | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Evgeny Stalev | 4 | | | | | | Alex Pagulayan | 11 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Park Shin-young | 9 | | | | | | |
| Niels Feijen | 9 | | | | | | | | Park Shin-young | 9 | | | | | | |
| Geoff Dunn | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Geoff Dunn | 4 | Niels Feijen | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Park Shin-young | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Park Shin-young | 9 | Park Shin-young | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chris Melling | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Chris Melling | 6 | | | Park Shin-young | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Alex Lely | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| Alex Lely | 9 | | | | | Alex Lely | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| Satoshi Kawabata | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Satoshi Kawabata | 8 | Alex Lely | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Fu Che-wei | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fu Che-wei | 9 | Fu Che-wei | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jorge Llanos | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jorge Llanos | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | Alex Pagulayan | 10 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Thorsten Hohmann | 17 |
| Earl Strickland | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Thorsten Hohmann | 17 |
| Thomas Engert | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Thomas Engert | 3 | Earl Strickland | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | H. Hinokiyama | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Haruyoshi Hinokiyama | 9 | H. Hinokiyama | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Antonio Lining | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Antonio Lining | 8 | | | Earl Strickland | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Steve Davis | 9 | | | | | | | | | |
| Steve Davis | 9 | | | | | Steve Davis | 9 | | | | | | | | | |
| Mukesh Rehani | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mukesh Rehani | 3 | Steve Davis | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | K. Takahashi | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Kunihiko Takahashi | 9 | K. Takahashi | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Roxton Chapman | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Roxton Chapman | 4 | | | | | | Earl Strickland | 11 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Yang Ching-shun | 9 | | | | | | |
| Ralf Souquet | 9 | | | | | | | | Yang Ching-shun | 9 | | | | | | |
| Raymond Cruz | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Raymond Cruz | 6 | Ralf Souquet | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Yang Ching-shun | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Yang Ching-shun | 9 | Yang Ching-shun | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Akikumo Toshikawa | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Akikumo Toshikawa | 4 | | | Yang Ching-shun | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Mika Immonen | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Mika Immonen | 9 | | | | | Mika Immonen | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| Steve Knight | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Steve Knight | 3 | Mika Immonen | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | N. Bergendorff | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Niklas Bergendorff | 9 | N. Bergendorff | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lu Hui-chan | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lu Hui-chan | 1 | | | | | | | | | Earl Strickland | 4 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | T. Hohmann | 11 | | | |
| Francisco Bustamante | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | T. Hohmann | 11 | | | |
| Oliver Ortmann | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Oliver Ortmann | 2 | F. Bustamante | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Lee Van Corteza | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lee Van Corteza | 9 | Lee Van Corteza | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sten Jarledal | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Sten Jarledal | 2 | | | F. Bustamante | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Efren Reyes | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| Efren Reyes | 9 | | | | | Efren Reyes | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| Johnny Archer | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Johnny Archer | 5 | Efren Reyes | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Nick van den Berg | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nick van den Berg | 9 | Nick van den Berg | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Kevin Smith | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Kevin Smith | 0 | | | | | | F. Bustamante | 10 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | T. Hohmann | 11 | | | | | | |
| Thorsten Hohmann | 9 | | | | | | | | T. Hohmann | 11 | | | | | | |
| John Horsfall | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| John Horsfall | 6 | T. Hohmann | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Teddy Garraham | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Teddy Garraham | 9 | Teddy Garraham | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rico Diks | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Rico Diks | 8 | | | T. Hohmann | 11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Luc Salvas | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Luc Salvas | 9 | | | | | Luc Salvas | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| Tommy Donlon | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tommy Donlon | 8 | Luc Salvas | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Marc Holtz | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Marc Holtz | 9 | Marc Holtz | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Warren Kiamco | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |