Gorst eyes title defense as filipino powerhouse dominates last 16 Day 4 highlights from the 2025 world pool championship

The 2025 World Pool Championship reached Day Four with defending champion Fedor Gorst storming into the Last 16 after back-to-back wins over Jonas Souto and Max Lechner. But the real headline? An incredible seven players from the Philippines have advanced—making them the undisputed dominant force in the tournament.

Held from July 21–26 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the championship is the crown jewel of the World Nineball Tour, organized by the Saudi Billiard & Snooker Federation under the supervision of the Saudi Ministry of Sport.

Gorst battled hard in the morning session to edge Souto 11-9, but came back in the evening with a commanding 11-4 victory over Lechner. “That might’ve been my best match of the tournament so far,” he said. “My break and safety play are getting sharper. Confidence is building—I’m ready for the next challenge.”

On the Filipino side, although fan favorites Johann Chua and AJ Manas were eliminated, James Aranas surged into the Last 16 for the first time, defeating two former European champions. “It’s so inspiring to see so many Filipinos advancing,” said Aranas. “I believe one of us will win it—we’re here to make it happen.”

Former world champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz also kept his title hopes alive, overturning a 2-5 deficit to beat Tyler Styer, before seeing off Marco Teutscher. Vietnamese contender Duong Quoc Hoang continued his impressive run with two more victories, keeping his dream of becoming Vietnam’s first world champion alive.

The day also saw several big names exit early, including Shane Van Boening, Joshua Filler, Jayson Shaw, Aloysius Yapp, and Seo Seoa—the tournament’s only female competitor. Despite falling short of the Last 32, Seo earned widespread respect with her historic run.

As the championship heads into its most intense phase, the rise of the Filipino contingent has become the story of the tournament. Will the “home of pool” produce yet another world champion? Stay tuned.