Taiwan Association: Looking forward to the second spring of Chinese billiards and strive to join the National Games
Xingpai pool table. With Robertson defeating Lisowski in the final, another World Snooker China Open came to an end. Wang Tao, vice chairman and secretary-general of the Chinese Billiards Association, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency reporters that billiards is undergoing a new stage of development in China and is looking forward to the “second spring”.
new challenge
“The China Open has been successfully held in Beijing for 15 consecutive years, and it has become a business card for Beijing and for snooker sports. Ding Junhui’s victory in 2005 also added a touch of brightness to this business card.” Wang Tao said.
At the China Open that year, Ding Junhui defeated “Billiard Emperor” Hendry and won his first ranking championship, which also put the development of Chinese billiards into the fast lane. Fifteen years later, the speed in the lane has slowed down.
Wang Tao said frankly that in the past few years, China’s billiards population was about 70 to 80 million, but the choices of the masses are now more diverse. According to statistics, the number of billiard halls has been reduced by about 20%, and the current billiards population is about 50 million. “However, the current competition system for the three billiards (snooker, Chinese, and 9-ball) has been completed, so the impact is relatively small.”
Wang Tao said that the association is also considering whether to place the China Open in a second, third or even fourth-tier city. “Has it completed a mission in a historical period, or should it be changed?”
Jiangxi Yushan previously hosted the Snooker World Open and the Chinese Billiards World Championships, where the enthusiasm of the audience left a deep impression on Wang Tao. “The games in Yushan are full. The people feel that it is very happy to be able to see a professional event. (China Open) such a good event should be where the people need it, we will put it wherever it is. go with.”
