Philippines, 13 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


'I'M READY FOR THE BATTLE'


PhilBoxing.com




AS THE CHINA OPEN GETS UNDERWAY THIS WEEK IN SHANGHAI, ENGLAND'S CHRIS MELLING IS LOOKING TO REPEAT HIS BREATHTAKING PERFORMANCE OF LAST YEAR

Anyone who happened to catch Chris Melling?s performance over four days last year in the China Open in Shanghai knew right away that they had seen something special. The Englishman, who was twice a world champion in English 8-ball and had, at the time, only been playing competitive 9-ball for two years, was literally oozing with confidence all week. Everything about him?the way he walked around the table, his extremely fast play, the way he stared down layouts and especially the audacious way he potted difficult balls and moved the cue ball around?spoke of a man with a winning attitude. He never gave his opponents any breathing room, pounced on the smallest of mistakes and quickly put racks on the board.

After mowing down the likes of the Philippines Lee Van Corteza, Germany?s Thorsten Hohmann and the Netherlands Niels Feijen, Melling obliterated Chinese Taipei?s Hsu Kai Lun 11-3 in the final for his first ever major 9-ball crown and pocketed $40,000. At the time even Melling was impressed by what he had just done.

?That?s the best I?ve ever played,? the ecstatic Englishman said moments after lifting the trophy. ?I?m not saying I?m a great player. But there?s a difference between being a good player and being a great player. A good player can play well in the pool room and in small tournaments. Great players can win under pressure in an atmosphere like this. I?m just beside myself right now. Absolutely unbelievable.?

Now, on the eve of the 5th annual China Open in Shanghai, Melling is aching to do it all again. The 33 year old, currently ranked number 5 in the world, recently reflected on his historic performance last year, some recent personal tragedies, and his desire to take his game even higher.

?It was massive for me to win a world ranking event as I had been knocking on the door a few times but didn't get to win the big ones,?Melling said. ?I had a real tough draw too beating the likes of Corteza, Hohmann ,Feijen and other top players. I'm pretty sure I can win it again. I'm in good form and not missing much so hopefully the rolls go my way and I can perform well. It?s been a terrible few years off the table, what lots of players don't know about, so it makes it even more special now when I win.

Melling, however, knows all too well how things work in the pool world. When you?re on top everyone is gunning to take you down. But having ascended to the summit last year, Melling gained a new found confidence which he takes with him everywhere he goes. And he fully expects to be in the mix this time around as well.

?I'm ready for the battle and can't wait to get to Shanghai as the defending champion,? Melling said.

The China Open begins Thursday, September 13 and runs through Sunday September 16, and features a heavyweight line up of 64 of the best men pool players from all over the globe. The event, which will take place at the Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium and is a major ranking event of the WPA, is held in conjunction with a professional women?s event, which last year was won by Chinese superstar Fu Xiao Fang. The men?s event offers $176, 600 in prize money with $40,000 going to the winner. The women will battle it out for $125,600 with $30,000 going to the eventual champion.

The WPA will be providing full coverage of the 2012 China Open, including live scoring of all matches on the WPA website, www.wpapool.com, daily articles, and updates on our Twitter page, @poolwpa.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ted Lerner, WPS Media Officer.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford: Size Matters
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • BOOTS TALKS SPARRING WITH CANELO IN ‘DAY IN THE LIFE’
    , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM LAS VEGAS: CANELO - 167.5 LBS., CRAWFORD - 167.5 LBS.
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • BELFAST: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER
    , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • Canoy cancels title fight due to child’s death
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • Vietnam’s Pool Revolution: Hanoi Open Pool Championship
    , Sat, 13 Sep 2025
  • SUNDAY: Naoya Inoue vs. Murodjon Akhmadaliev Undisputed Super Bantamweight Showdown to Stream Exclusively on Top Rank’s Facebook Channel in the U.S. & UK
    , Fri, 12 Sep 2025
  • National Shelter Month Run on October 25 in DGT
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 12 Sep 2025
  • Canelo-Crawford: Betting Odds Reveal a Battle of Money vs. Public Opinion
    By Dong Secuya, , Fri, 12 Sep 2025
  • BELFAST PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING LEWIS CROCKER AND PADDY DONOVAN SAID AHEAD OF HISTORIC WORLD TITLE SHOWDOWN
    , Fri, 12 Sep 2025
  • GABRIELA “SWEET POISON” FUNDORA TO DEFEND UNDISPUTED CROWN AGAINST HIGHLY RANKED NEW FOE ALEXAS “IRON LADY” KUBICKI
    , Fri, 12 Sep 2025
  • Chino Sy Tancontian is Sports Hero of the Year 2025
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 12 Sep 2025
  • Two (or Three) Lefts Make a Right: Francisco Guilledo to Luisito Espinosa
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 11 Sep 2025
  • Yoseline Perez Advances to 2025 World Boxing Championships Semifinals
    , Thu, 11 Sep 2025
  • UNIFIED WORLD CHAMPION OSCAR COLLAZO HOSTS MEDIA WORKOUT
    , Thu, 11 Sep 2025
  • Jerwin Ancajas Set for IBF Mandatory Eliminator Against Former World Champ Ryosuke Nishida; Winner Fights Naoya Inoue
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 11 Sep 2025
  • “Night of Champions” Returns to Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando on September 19
    , Thu, 11 Sep 2025
  • Local Favorite Bryce Mills Tops First Boxing Card At del Lago Resort & Casino
    , Thu, 11 Sep 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaiman: It´s Fightweek Fight: Canelo vs. Crawford
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Wed, 10 Sep 2025
  • Casimero comeback next month in Kyrgyzstan?
    By Nick Giongco, , Wed, 10 Sep 2025
  • Team USA Concludes Day Six of 2025 World Boxing Championships
    , Wed, 10 Sep 2025
  • Andrade, Garras rule Milo marathon in Tagum
    , Wed, 10 Sep 2025
  • CROCKER-DONOVAN II: INSIDE LOOK AT FIRST FACE-OFF IN BELFAST
    , Wed, 10 Sep 2025
  • Former Panamanian WBA champ Jorge Lujan hospitalized
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 10 Sep 2025
  • Southern Sports Heroes Night on Sept. 28
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 10 Sep 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.