The 2025 WCF Association Croquet World Championship moved into the knockout phase today with 32 players battling in the main event at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The event has offered challenging court conditions with fast lawns and Quadways providing peel rejections and the odd stuffed hoop to offer plenty of interactive play.
In addition, high temperatures and stifling humidity this 19th edition of AC Worlds is proving to be every bit the test you'd expect from a world-class event.
There were no surprises in round one, but plenty of interactive play. I saw an entertaining finish in game one of the #13 James Death (ENG) vs #44 Kyle Maloof (USA) match. Death’s triple evaporated when he roqueted the peeled red ball after penult. He put red near the peg, then roqueted black and pushed it out toward 3-back. He then rushed blue and pegged both yellow and blue out.
James Death (England)
Maloof stayed alive with a 10-yarder on red that put red toward C2. With black for 4-back, he tried the roll-up and ended up with a relatively straight two-yard hoop attempt. But it bounced off and Death won 26-22. He closed out with a 26tp-5 win in game two to advance to the round two quarterfinals.
Kyle Maloof (USA)
There were no major upsets in the first round, but a few players took out higher-ranked players — #31 Stephen Morgan (USA) defeated #26 Samir Patel (ENG) 26-9, 26-16. Australia’s Stephen Forster (#25) went 24-26, 26-10, 26-9 against 2016 champion #24 Stephen Mulliner (ENG) in the last knockout match to conclude on the day. Additionally, #26 Alain Giraud (ENG) defeated New Zealand’s #20 Jenny Clarke, 26-11, 26-9, to advance.
Round two will move to a best-of-five match format and the seedings have created some interesting scenarios. At the top of the list, world #1 Robert Fletcher will face his brother Greg (#21) on court three in a family affair for the two Australians. Court six will feature a Team USA matchup between #7 Matthew Essick and #12 Tom Balding. Both players made the Last Four in 2023, but that possibility will end after this round.
Court 11 will see Team USA’s Ben Rothman (#19) face the defending 2023 champion #3 Robert Fulford (ENG), who is looking for his seventh AC Worlds title.
Games for round two will be double banked. Players are expected to be on-site at 8:30 a.m., suggesting that matches will start by 9:00 a.m.
ROUND 2 MATCHUPS
Court 3
#1 Robert Fletcher v. #21 Greg Fletcher
#31 Stephen Morgan v. #13 James Death
Court 6 (LIVESTREAM COURT)
#7 Matthew Essick v. #12 Tom Balding
#15 Andy Johnston v. #5 Mark Avery
Court 7
#4 Zack Watson v. #35 Stephen Forster
#14 Jose Riva v. #9 Reg Bamford
Court 11
#8 Logan McCorkindale v. #26 Alain Giraud
#19 Ben Rothman v. #3 Robert Fulford