1994 WPA World 9-Ball Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Takeshi Okumura
2	Yasunari Itsuzaki

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

The 1994 WPA World 9-Ball Championship saw Takeshi Okumura defeat compatriot Yasunari Itsuzaki in an all-Japanese final in Chicago. This was Japan's first-ever world championship in pocket billiards and marked a significant achievement for Asian pool on the global stage.

At 41 years old, Okumura became the oldest player to win the world 9-ball championship at that time—a record that stood until Nick Varner won in 1999. The Fukuoka native began playing at 16 and turned professional in 1978. His victory showed the emergence of Japanese talent in international pool competition.

An all-Japanese final was relatively uncommon in the tournament's early years, reflecting Japan's growing participation in the sport. Okumura's win came one year after Taiwan's Chao Fong-pang won the 1993 title, continuing Asia's rise as a competitive region in professional pool.

Okumura turned professional at age 26, competing for 16 years before winning the world championship. The 1994 title became the defining achievement of his career. He continued competing at elite levels in subsequent years, reaching the finals of prestigious events like the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in 2000.

The 1994 championship reflected changing dynamics in world pool. The sport's highest levels were no longer dominated exclusively by American and European players. Okumura's victory paved the way for subsequent Asian competitors and increased the international diversity of professional pool competition in the years that followed.

Sources: List of WPA World Nine-ball champions – Wikipedia, Takeshi Okumura – Wikipedia, WPA World Nine-ball Championship – Wikipedia

This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.