Fedor Gorst Claims 2026 China Open 9-Ball Title, Liu Shasha Reigns Again After 13-Year Wait

Shanghai hosted a memorable week of billiards as the China Open 9-Ball Championship brought together top players from around the world. The 2026 edition concluded with two distinctly different yet deeply emotional stories: a rising star asserting his standing on the international stage, and a seasoned legend reclaiming the crown after more than a decade of silence. Fedor Gorst, currently ranked seventh in the world by the WPA, clinched the men's title with a prize of $40,000 in Shanghai. His opponent in the final was Wu Kun-Lin from Chinese Taipei, who had impressively navigated the knockout rounds before succumbing in a lopsided final. Gorst's path to the title was far from smooth. He nearly fell to Lee Po-Hsien (Chinese Taipei) and Jeffrey Ignacio (Philippines) in earlier rounds before overcoming Kazakis (Greece) in what was described as a hard-fought semifinal. The result signaled a player gradually returning to peak form after more than two years without an international title since his World Pool Championship triumph. Despite being ranked only seventh in the world, Gorst demonstrated that at the elite level of international pool, the gap between rankings is razor-thin. On the women's side, Liu Shasha was the brightest star. The Chinese cueist claimed her second China Open title, with a 13-year gap between victories — a void she conquered through sheer determination. Her prize was $36,000, reflecting notable gender prize parity at this tournament. Most notably, Liu Shasha defeated Pia Filler, the women's world number one, en route to the final. She also overcame Amit (Philippines) and Wang Xiaotong, the 2026 runner-up. The women's final ended 9-5 with Liu defeating Fu Xiaofang, her childhood friend. Fu Xiaofang deserves special mention. She suffered a second-round defeat but fought through the losers' bracket all the way to the final — a testament to the double-elimination format's second-chance dynamic. However, the 9-5 margin in the final demonstrated Liu Shasha's superiority in the decisive match.