Fedor Gorst saved his most dominant performance for the final, racing to a 6-0 lead before defeating 🇹🇼 Wu Kun Lin 11-3 to capture the men’s title at the 2026 WPA Pudong Tangzhen 9-Ball China Open in Shanghai.
There would be no late drama this time for Fedor Gorst.
After being pushed to the brink earlier in the knockout stage, Gorst took control from the opening racks of Sunday’s championship match and never gave Wu Kun Lin a realistic opportunity to get back into it.
Gorst raced to a commanding 6-0 advantage, immediately putting Wu under pressure in what had been expected to be a much tighter final between two of the tournament’s strongest performers.
Wu eventually got on the board, but the early deficit proved far too large to overcome. Gorst continued to dictate the match on his way to an emphatic 11-3 victory, closing out the tournament with arguably his strongest performance of the week.
The victory gives Gorst the men’s championship at the 15th edition of the China Open, one of the established international ranking events on the WPA calendar. The 2026 tournament was held at the Pudong Tangzhen Culture & Sports Center in Shanghai.
Gorst Survives Ignacio Scare Before Charging Into Final
The one-sided championship match was a sharp contrast to the battle Gorst had to survive just two rounds earlier.
Gorst began the knockout stage with an 11-8 victory over 🇵🇱 Dominik Jastrząb in the Last 32 before defeating fellow Polish player Mieszko Fortuński 11-7 in the Last 16.
His title hopes then came within a single rack of ending against 🇵🇭 Jeffrey Ignacio.
Ignacio reached the hill first at 10-8 in their quarterfinal and stood just one rack away from eliminating the two-time World 9-Ball champion. Gorst responded by winning the final three racks to complete an 11-10 comeback and escape into the semifinals.
From there, Gorst defeated 🇬🇷 Alexandros Kazakis 11-7 to book his place in the final.
Fedor Gorst’s Knockout Run
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Last 32 | 🇵🇱 Dominik Jastrząb | 11-8 |
| Last 16 | 🇵🇱 Mieszko Fortuński | 11-7 |
| Quarterfinal | 🇵🇭 Jeffrey Ignacio | 11-10 |
| Semifinal | 🇬🇷 Alexandros Kazakis | 11-7 |
| Final | 🇹🇼 Wu Kun Lin | 11-3 |
After barely escaping against Ignacio, Gorst became progressively more convincing as the tournament moved toward its conclusion. By the time the championship match began, he left Wu with almost no room to settle into the contest.
Another Runner-Up Finish for Wu Kun Lin
For Wu Kun Lin, the defeat brings another impressive tournament run to a disappointing end.
Wu entered the final looking to turn a season of near misses into what could have been the biggest singles title of his career.
The Taiwanese star had already reached the final of the Billard Beckmann Men’s Open earlier this year and later finished runner-up at the Asian 9-Ball Championship.
His China Open campaign gave him another opportunity to finally break through.
Wu defeated Shen Xinyang 11-7 in the Last 32 before getting past 🇸🇬 Aloysius Yapp 11-9 in the Last 16. He then defeated Xue Zhenqi 11-9 in the quarterfinals and 🇵🇱 Daniel Macioł 11-6 in the semifinals.
That set up a championship showdown with one of the toughest opponents possible.
This time, Gorst proved to be the roadblock Wu could not overcome.
Gorst Takes Home US$40,000 and Championship Ring
Gorst earns the US$40,000 men’s champion’s prize before tax, while Wu Kun Lin receives US$20,000 before tax as runner-up.
The 2026 China Open featured more than US$350,000 in combined prize money across its men’s and women’s competitions.
In addition to the winner’s purse and trophy, Gorst also receives the specially designed 2026 China Open championship ring unveiled for this year’s event.
It adds another major piece of hardware to the collection of a player who arrived in Shanghai already established among the most accomplished players of his generation.
Another Major Title for Fedor Gorst
Gorst entered the China Open as a two-time World 9-Ball champion, with Shanghai remaining one of the significant international titles still missing from his résumé.
He came close in 2025, reaching the semifinals before being eliminated by Dang Jinhu.
One year later, he returned and finished the job.
There were moments during the tournament when Gorst’s run appeared in serious danger, particularly with Ignacio sitting on the hill at 10-8 in their quarterfinal.
There was nothing uncertain, however, about the way he finished the event.
From 6-0 ahead in the final, Gorst was never seriously threatened as he completed an emphatic championship performance against Wu Kun Lin.
What You Need to Know
- Champion: Fedor Gorst
- Runner-up: Wu Kun Lin
- Final score: Gorst defeated Wu 11-3
- Champion’s prize: US$40,000 before tax
- Runner-up prize: US$20,000 before tax
- Venue: Pudong Tangzhen Culture & Sports Center, Shanghai
- Final highlight: Gorst raced to a 6-0 lead and was never seriously threatened
- Additional prize: Gorst receives the 2026 China Open championship ring
Fedor Gorst defeated Wu Kun Lin 11-3 to become the 2026 WPA 9-Ball China Open men’s champion, taking home US$40,000 before tax and the championship ring from Shanghai.