Fedor Gorst won the 2023 Peri 9 Ball Open held in Hanoi, Vietnam, defeating Michael “X44” Feliciano of the Philippines with a score of 13-6.
The Semifinals
James Aranas vs Michael Feliciano
Despite being down 6-2 early in the match against James Aranas, Feliciano made a remarkable run, putting up racks in bunches and showcasing his pocketing ability, which enabled him to stage a comeback. Feliciano eventually won the match with a score of 11-8.
Fedor Gorst vs Anthony Raga.
Gorst established a commanding 6-2 lead against the Filipino superstar Anton Raga. When the score was 8-5 in favor of Gorst, Raga attempted a carom shot from the 3 to the 9 that narrowly missed the pocket. This marked the end of Raga’s campaign, as Fedor Gorst capitalized on the opportunity and won the match relatively easily with a score of 11-5.
The Finals
In the finals matchup, Gorst displayed his usual machine-like precision, rarely making mistakes and exhibiting pinpoint accuracy with his cue ball placement. This allowed him to secure an early lead with the score at 8-2 going into the 11th rack of the race to 13 games. Unfortunately for Feliciano, his strategic errors in safety plays opened the game wide open for Gorst.
With Fedor Gorst on the hill, Feliciano decided to push out on the 2 ball after his break, giving Gorst an opportunity for a long jumpshot. With the 2 ball near the pocket, Fedor didn’t hesitate and retrieved his jump cue, successfully pocketing the 2 ball, which enabled him to clear the rack.
Gorst winning his first World Nine Ball Tour title wasn’t a question of how but rather a matter of when. After finishing as the runner-up in the US Open, it seemed like Gorst was destined to achieve victory soon, and indeed he did.
Moreover, just an hour before the match, Gorst announced that he would be representing the USA team in the Mosconi Cup. This announcement greatly boosts Team USA’s chances to triumph over Team Europe, who have dominated the competition for three consecutive years.
For Michael Feliciano, finishing as the runner-up to Gorst is nothing to be ashamed of. He garnered numerous new fans with his outstanding performance in this tournament. His speed and assertive shot selection were particularly impressive.
Congratulations to Vietnam for successfully hosting this tournament, which hopefully sets a precedent for future countries hosting similar events. With multiple live streams of matches on YouTube, the quality of the production was superb, providing a great experience for pool fans eager to watch the games.
Next up is the Hanoi Open, scheduled to commence tomorrow, October 10.
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