National Pool Championship
- Saturday, 28th October
- Lugogo Indoor Arena (9:00 a.m till late)
To predict who will win the 2017 National Pool Open Championship remains as secretive a task to tell as the affairs in a grave.
Virtually, all the 128 players lined up ahead of the 28th October do have a 50-50 chance.
At stake is the grand prize of the brand new Toyota Altezza, Shs5M and the much treasured championship pool table.
After the draws held at ever busy pool entertainment hub – Rock Catalina in Ntinda, it remains a close contest given the bold fact that all the top Pool Association of Uganda (PAU) seeds got relatively fair pairings.
For the opening round, for instance, the reigning national champion Sula Matovu and PAU seed 1 faces little known Ashraf Kinene.
Matovu was also drawn first on the tournament chart as seed two Fahad Ssewankambo settled for number 128th.
Ssewankambo will battle Susuna Kiguli during round one action.
Humphrey Nsubuga takes on fast improving Allan Katongole and Alfred Gumikiriza will lock horns with Tonny Kasozi.
Another top seed Geoffrey Ssetumba will face Eddy Kawuuki in round one.
The mother of all battles of the first round will be envisaged when the 2015 winner Amos Ndyagumanawe faces seed 7 Dan Mubiru.
In round two, there could be a final before the final as Matovu and Simon ‘The Computer’ Lubulwa could face each other if they skip round one.
Eight time league winner Wasswa Kayiiya opens up with tricky opponent Mansoor Bwanika.
Kayiiya, who was present at the draws anticipates a fierce challenge.
In an exclusive interview with Kawowo Sports, Kayiiya notes;
The first step has been overcome and that is that of the draws.
To me, it is an open tournament whereby the player on form will win.
To win such a tournament, you need to beat whoever that comes your way
For the coming days, the players remain glued with the up coming Kampala open likely to give a fair test and perfect warm up ahead of the big day.
With the increment in prize monies for the top 16 players, the level of competition will lift up the standards of the game expected at the tournament, arguably the biggest on the pool calendar.
Qualifiers that involved over 5000 players from 250 playing centers were held across the entire country with the bold intention to select the deserved creme de la creme.