Meet “The Ghost,” Fedor Gorst (World 9-Ball Champion)
Fedor Gorst, or, “The Ghost”, as he’s affectionately called, has already achieved more than most pros have in an entire career, even though he’s still in his early 20s. Besides being one of the youngest players to ever play and win the Mosconi Cup, Gorst has also won other major world titles.
Gorst has played pool for over a decade and is among the hardest working players in the game. He is also an entertaining player to watch, and will be very fun to follow for years to come.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Fedor Gorst. We will look at how he started playing pool, some of the major championships he has won, and give you a look into the equipment he uses to dominate pool all over the world.
Who is Fedor Gorst?
Fedor Gorst is a professional pool player from Russia. Gorst was born in Moscow on May 31, 2000. His was father was an amateur pool player (mostly playing Russian Pyramid)
Gorst was introduced to billiards from a very young age. His family had a Russian Pyramid table in the house. He was always around the table from as early as 2 years old. He spent most of his time playing on the table. His father saw his interest in the sport and hired a coach to train him when he was just 6.
He played Russian Pyramid first and liked it a lot. Gorst played some successful matches and even a tournament when he was 9. Gorst kept switching coaches as he grew up, and one of his coaches advised him to switch to pool when he was 10.
According to the coach, there was more potential in playing pool. Playing pool would allow him to travel the world, play in tournaments with higher prize money, and the game was growing faster than Russian Pyramid.
After switching to pool, Gorst played several amateur tournaments and junior events in Moscow. He won his first junior tournament when he was just 12, and by 14, he was already on the Russian pool national team.
His father died when he was just 13, and from there on, he looked up to Mike Nikolai, a semi-pro pool player. Mike would sponsor him for tournaments and help him plan his future in pool. Mike was highly instrumental in setting the foundation for Gorst’s pool career.
When did Fedor Gorst turn pro?
Gorst turned pro when he was around 17. By this time, he had already won a European Championship in 2015. His first professional title was the 2018 Euro Tour Treviso Open which he won by beating Mateusz Śniegocki in the finals. Gorst was also ranked World #8 by the World Pool-Billiard Association in 2018.
Fedor Gorst’s Championships
Gorst already has over 50 pool championships and titles. His championships include several Russian and European events, and some world titles. Here is an overview of some of the most notable ones:
1. Mosconi Cup (1 time)
Gorst played and won the Mosconi Cup when he was just 20 years old, making him one of the youngest winners ever.
- 2020 – He was part of team Europe that beat team USA 11–3.
2. WPA World Nine-ball Championship (2 times)
- 2017 – Won the junior championship by defeating Temuujin Enkhbold from Mongolia in the finals.
- 2019 – Gorst became the world champion at just 19 by defeating Chang Jung-lin 13–11 in the finals.
3. Derby City Classic (6 titles)
- 2022 – One pocket
- 2022 – Bank pool
- 2022 – Master of the table
- 2023 – 9-ball
- 2023 – Bank pool
- 2023 – Overall winner (Master of the Table)
4. European Pool Championship (2 times)
- 2019 – Won the 9-ball event by defeating Joshua Filler in the final.
- 2021 – Won the 14.1 Straight Pool event by defeating Marc Bijsterbosch in the final. Gorst was also a runner-up in the 8-ball event.
5. U.S. Open Pool Championship (3 times)
- 2022 – Won the 10-ball championship by beating Lee Vann Corteza in the final.
- 2023 – Won the 10-ball championship by beating Roland Garcia in the final.
- 2023 – Won the 8-ball championship by beating Mario He in the final.
Fedor Gorst’s Cue of Choice
Gorst plays with Cuetec cues. Cuetec has been sponsoring him for a few years now. He uses a 59-inch Cuetec playing cue with a 30-inch shaft and likes experimenting with different tips. Gorst also uses the Cuetec Breach break cue and Cuetec Propel jump cue.
Besides Cuetec, his other main sponsors are TAOM Billiards, Diamond Billiards, Jam Up Apparel and Railyard Billiards & Sports Pub.
What is in Fedor Gorst’s bag?
Besides his Cuetec cues, his 4×8 Cuetec pool case also includes the following items:
- A cue extension (but he never uses it because he doesn’t like the balance)
- Gloves
- Several tips
- Tip tools
- Sandman
- Joint protectors
- Taom chalk
- Microfiber towel
Other Awards and Achievements
Gorst is a fairly young player who has yet to reach his peak, but will likely win Player of the Year at some point during his career. Still, here is a list of some of his other notable achievements:
1. 9-time Russian pool championship winner
- 14.1 Straight pool (1 time) – Won the title in 2017 when he was 17. It was also his first major professional championship in his home country.
- 8-ball (2 times) – Won the title in 2020 and 2021
- 9-ball (2 times) – Won the 2019 and 2020 titles
- 10-ball (4 times) – He won the title for 4 consecutive years in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
2. Euro Tour Series Winner
- 2018 – Gorst won the Treviso Open, one of his first major championships. He was only 18 at the time.
Fedor Gorst’s Net Worth
Over the course of Gorst’s professional career, he has amassed over $600,000 in winnings, and his total net worth is estimated to be between $700,000 and $900,000. Not too bad for a man who hasn’t even reached 25 years old!
Wrap Up
Fedor Gorst is one of the youngest world pool champions ever. He’s won major championships that few other players have won in their teens and early 20s.
While he is extremely talented, his achievements have also come from his hard work, as he spends many hours every day working on his game.
Given his age, we likely haven’t seen the best of him. Gorst continues to inspire young pool players to keep working on their game, and it will be interesting to see how his career turns out.
As always, Happy Shooting!
