2022 WPA World 9-Ball Championship

Results

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

Shane Van Boening won his first WPA World Nine-ball Championship at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, defeating defending champion Albin Ouschan of Austria. Van Boening, known as the South Dakota Kid, claimed the title in the championship final.

The match featured several lead changes. Van Boening won the lag and took the opening rack, but Ouschan built a 3-1 lead. Van Boening narrowed the deficit to 3-2 and continued to apply pressure. The match remained competitive throughout, with momentum shifting between the two players.

This victory represented a major milestone for Van Boening, who had already won five US Open Nine-ball Championships and earned over 100 professional titles. At 38, the hearing-impaired champion captured the world title that had eluded him throughout his career. The win prevented Ouschan from becoming the first back-to-back world champion since the tournament's modern format began.

The tournament featured 128 competitors competing in race-to-9 matches, followed by race-to-11 elimination rounds and a race-to-13 final. The prize pool totaled $325,000, with the winner receiving $60,000. Van Boening reached the final 16 through his tournament run. The world championship victory solidified his standing as one of the sport's greatest players.

Sources: 2022 WPA World Nine-ball Championship – Wikipedia WPA Pool

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