The Philippines’ Carlo Biado once again etched his name in the annals of pool history, securing his second World Pool Championship title in a thrilling 15-13 victory over defending champion Fedor Gorst of the United States at the Green Halls in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday (early Sunday in Manila).
The win made Biado the first Filipino player to ever capture the prestigious trophy twice.
“I’m over the moon—I still can’t believe I’m a two-time World Champion. It means everything to me. I’m so proud to bring this trophy home to the Philippines,” said Biado, who made the finals after a dominant 11-3 semi-final victory over fellow Filipino Bernie Regalario.
The 2025 World Pool Championship, the crown jewel of the World Nineball Tour, featured 128 players from 40 countries and boasted a record-breaking $1,000,000 prize pool.
Biado’s win earned him the champion’s purse of $250,000 (approximately P14.2 million).
Gorst earned $100,000, while losing seminalists Regalario and Kledio Kaçi of Albania got $50,000 each.
Nicknamed “Black Tiger,” Biado started strong, building a commanding 9-2 lead with a deadly combination of precision safety play and pinpoint potting.
However, Gorst, known for his resilience and dubbed a “monster on the table,” mounted a furious comeback, winning seven consecutive racks to level the score at 9-9.
The Russian-American star continued to push, even tying the match again at 13-13, putting pressure on Biado.
But Biado’s composure under fire ultimately sealed his triumph. In the 27th rack, a costly scratch from Gorst off a jump shot handed Biado the opening he needed.
The Filipino calmly cleared the table to reach the hill at 14-13.
A dry break from Gorst in the subsequent rack provided Biado with the final opportunity, which he seized with clinical precision, clearing the table to secure the victory.
“This final is something I’ll remember forever. Fedor is one of the best in the world—when I was leading 9-2, I still couldn’t relax because he’s a monster on the table. But today, I stayed focused, stayed calm, and maybe had a little luck on my side too,” said Biado.
This victory marked Biado’s second World Pool Championship, his first being in 2017.
Other one-time winners of the World Pool title were Efren “Bata” Reyes in 1999, Ronnie Alcano in 2006 and Francisco “Django” Bustamante in 2010.
