Player: Fedor Gorst
Event: 2024 U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship
Location: Atlantic City, New Jersey
Date: August 24, 2024



Facing Shane Van Boening in the final of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, you're in the final of one of the premier events in international pool! On the other, you're facing a guy who, if anyone has a claim, has owned the event in recent history, winning five times between 2007 and 2016.

But if anyone was up to the challenge in 2024, Fedor Gorst was that player. In the midst of a heater that led to him being a no-doubt selection as BD Player of the Year, the American by way of Russia had plenty of confidence heading into the race-to-13 final against his Mosconi Cup teammate.

In a back-and-forth set, Gorst worked his way to an 8-7 advantage when he broke the 16th rack to find himself in the position shown in the diagram. With the 1 ball buried on the break, the 2 was tucked into the lower left corner, but the cue ball was tucked behind the 8 three diamonds away.

Sinking a hanger like the 2 rarely presents an opportunity for a highlight, but the stakes for the cue ball's rebound angle off the object ball were heightened here. In addition to having to go airborne, Gorst needed to thread his position play off the 2 and the long rail. With precision accuracy, he sent the cue ball between the 4 and 6 balls, controlling for speed to the point the cue ball came to a rest at a perfect angle on the 3 into the bottom right.

Gorst cleared the rack for a two-game advantage, 9-7. While Van Boening made a final run to challenge the Ghost's pursuit of his first U.S. Open title, SVB came up short as Gorst closed out the title run with a 13-10 victory.

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