The first Chinese 9-ball game returns to Tangzhen, and the 2023 Pudong Tangcheng 9-ball China Open kicks off! After a gap of 3 years
After three years, the classic reappears. On the evening of September 7th, 2023, the Pudong Tangcheng 9-ball China Open kicked off grandly in Tangzhen, the first "hometown of billiards" in China. This competition has attracted athletes from nearly 30 countries and regions around the world to compete in Pudong, Shanghai, including the top 16 male and female ranked athletes this year. The competition will continue until September 10th, with an expected total of over 3000 on-site spectators and over a million online viewers.
The opening ceremony was kicked off with a video short film titled "New Journey and Starting Again" jointly produced by the Tang Town Cultural Service Center and the Pudong New Area Billiards Association. The 15 year history of the 9-ball China Open was presented to the public: from "I had a date with 9-ball" in 2009 to "Dressed up and Returned, 9-ball Home" in 2016, from "September 9-ball, 10th edition in 2018" to today's "New Journey of World 9-ball, Starting Again in Pudong Tang Town"... The short film reviews the development process of the competition from difficult establishment to becoming one of the "Top Ten Boutique Tournaments in Shanghai" and being hailed as the "First Chinese 9-ball Tournament". Each frame of the film reflects the development of the competition. Every progress in the Chinese competition.
This year is the 12th edition of the 9-ball China Open tournament. In the first eleven competitions, Chinese female athletes achieved remarkable results, winning a total of 8 championships, 8 runner ups, and 11 third places. Faced with the competition that will return in three years, the National 9 teams attach great importance to it and arrived in Shanghai half a month early for training, especially in the men's event. They hope to leverage the courage of Pudong registered player Dang Jinhu to win the Spanish Open and strive for a breakthrough.
![The first Chinese 9-ball game returns to Tangzhen, and the 2023 Pudong Tangcheng 9-ball China Open kicks off! After a gap of 3 years](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/2bd0a6e6d43fc8b7a2aab0002558480f.png)
The 9-ball China Open has formed a series of characteristics through continuous hosting, and one of them is the competition mascot "Tang Tang", which cleverly combines cartoon and billiards elements. At the opening ceremony, a special "9 Ball Babies" ceremony was held to present mascots to representatives of athletes from various countries, in order to wish "Tang Tang" luck to all players. The organizing committee of the competition also awarded the Tang Town People's Government and the Pudong New Area Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau with "Special Contribution Award" and "Special Support Award" respectively.
To coincide with the exciting hosting of the competition, Tangzhen's "Billiards Town" organized a rich and colorful "Billiards Culture Festival" and "Billiards Carnival" activities. Through a series of activities such as national teams and world champions entering schools, military camps, and community billiards competitions, the awareness and participation of billiards have been further improved.
Shanghai has a strong atmosphere of billiards culture. Since the establishment of the Shanghai Billiards Association in 1987, the basic competition system of billiards has been continuously improved for 36 years. From professional to amateur, from American to snooker, from elementary school competitions to senior billiards championships, it has met the diverse sports needs of citizens. Shanghai has also cultivated 11 billiards champions who are active in various competitions around the world. Sun Yu, Deputy Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Pudong New Area Committee and Director of the Sports and Tourism Bureau, stated that since its establishment, the 9-ball China Open has resonated with the development of Pudong's sports industry. By further leveraging its brand value, it will be organically integrated with Pudong's cultural and tourism industry, helping Pudong achieve high-quality development and high-quality life.
![The first Chinese 9-ball game returns to Tangzhen, and the 2023 Pudong Tangcheng 9-ball China Open kicks off! After a gap of 3 years](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/9948e08448f7d98a71b8aaecaaa6a29b.jpg)
Lu Purlin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Shanghai Sports Bureau, stated that for more than 10 years, the Pudong Tangcheng 9-ball China Open has followed the laws of the sports industry market, standardized its operation, and adhered to innovation. It has not only showcased the splendid and unparalleled style of the competition, but also brought first-class viewing experience to the vast number of fans. At the same time, it has also demonstrated the charm of 9-ball sports through forms such as going to the community, entering the campus, and entering the commercial district, making positive contributions to national fitness and the popularization of 9-ball projects. He wishes the Pudong Tangcheng 9-ball China Open to become a timeless and beautiful business card of Shanghai sports, and to take more solid steps towards promoting Shanghai's construction as a globally renowned sports city.
This competition is hosted by the World Billiards Association, China Billiards Association, and Shanghai Sports Federation. It is operated and promoted by the Pudong New Area Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the People's Government of Tangzhen in Pudong New Area, the Shanghai Billiards Association, the Shanghai Pudong New Area Sports Federation, the Tangzhen Community Public Welfare Foundation in Pudong New Area, and Five Star Sports Media Co., Ltd. The Pudong New Area Billiards Association is responsible for operation and promotion.
Text/Part Photography: Cao Zhiguang
![The first Chinese 9-ball game returns to Tangzhen, and the 2023 Pudong Tangcheng 9-ball China Open kicks off! After a gap of 3 years](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/96b945aad30d5ed433a2c3cc8283ddfd.png)