Defending champion Ko Pin Yi knocked out WNT No.1 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz to advance to the semi-finals of the 2024 World Pool Masters at Halle39 in Hildesheim, Germany, in partnership with local organizer Moltke Sports and host broadcaster Sky Sports.
Despite securing the opening rack, Ruiz suffered a setback when he scratched from the break in rack 2, igniting a dominant winning streak for the 'Prince of Pool,' Ko Pin Yi. The Spanish cueist made an effort to stage a comeback in rack 6 with a jump shot over the 7 ball to pot the 2 ball, but his momentum was short-lived after missing the 4 ball in the same rack.
In rack 11, Ko Pin Yi's streak nearly came to an end at the hill after failing to pot the 2. Ruiz, eager to maintain possession, opted for safety when attempting to kick the 2 ball, only to inadvertently fluke it, leaving himself trapped from the 3 ball. Capitalising on Ruiz’s error, Ko Pin Yi secured victory in the quarter-final with a commanding 10-1 win, further solidifying his title defence.
The outcome was different for the other brother, Ko Ping Chung, who was dismantled at the start of the day by Joshua Filler, who seized the lead in rack 5 after Ping Chung’s failure to execute a 2-9 combo. Killer Filler showcased an exceptional 3-ball long shot in the sixth rack, effortlessly clearing the table once again.
Rack 8 witnessed a tense exchange between the two, as Ping Chung scratched the 2 ball, handing control back to Filler. However, Filler’s missed shot on the 8 ball provided a glimmer of opportunity for the ‘King Killer’ Ko, who attempted a jump shot to pot the 8 ball, only to miss and inadvertently assist Filler’s winning streak.
Filler continued his masterclass, executing a 6-8 carom swiftly followed by a 6-7 combo in rack 11. Despite a fleeting moment of hope in rack 13 with a 3-8 combo, it proved insufficient for the Chinese Taipei star, who succumbed to the German powerhouse, who moves closer to claiming his second World Pool Masters title on home turf.
Entering the evening matches, Fedor Gorst secured another victory over an Austrian contender in the World Pool Masters, this time defeating Albin Ouschan. Foreshadowing the outcome, the opening rack witnessed a golden break for Fedor, marking the beginning of his composed and tactical performance. Gorst embarked on a six-rack streak, executing a flawless 2-8 combo in rack 2 and a bank shot of the 9 ball in rack 4. In the seventh, Albin capitalised on Fedor's failure to pot the 3 ball, allowing Albin to perform a 3-6 combo to clear the table and claim his first rack victory.
In rack 8, another opportunity arose for the Austrian, who accidentally fluked the 4 ball while attempting to pot the 3 ball. However, it proved insufficient for Ouschan, who missed the 3 ball once again, handing control back to Fedor. To seal the quarter-final with ease, Gorst played a safety shot with the 2 ball, prompting Albin to foul and set up Gorst’s 2-9 combo to reach the hill. In typical Fedor Gorst fashion, he cleared the table in the eleventh rack to advance to the semi-finals with a comfortable 10-1 victory.
The quarter-finals concluded with a gripping showdown between the two Mosconi Cup giants, Shane Van Boening and Jayson Shaw. Boening asserted his dominance in the opening racks, capitalizing on Shaw’s break scratch in rack 1, followed by a golden break in rack 2. Shaw mounted a comeback from a 7-3 deficit, seizing the opportunity when Boening missed the 3 ball in rack 10, eventually taking the lead to level the score at rack 14, making it 7-7.
Desperate to reclaim his initial lead, Shane edged ahead 8-7 in rack 15 when Shaw failed to hook the 2 ball. Shaw, composed as ever, redeemed himself in the following rack to tie the score at 8-8 after Shane struggled to pot the 1 ball. The odds seemed to favour Shaw in rack 17, who fluked the 9 ball when attempting to pot the 5 to reach the hill. Maintaining his composure, Jayson Shaw cleared the table, leaving no opportunity for Shane to stop his comeback 8-10 victory.
The semi-finals of the World Pool Masters kick off at 12:30 pm CET tomorrow with Joshua Killer Filler challenging defending champion Ko Pin Yi, followed by Fedor Gorst vs. Jayson Shaw. The winners of both matches will go on to play in the final at 7 pm in the ultimate showdown.
Watch live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland, DAZN in the USA, Spain, Italy, and Brazil, as well as on Viaplay in the Netherlands, Poland, Scandinavia, and the Baltics. If no broadcaster is available in your country, watch the action on Matchroom.Live. See where to watch in your country here
The 30th Anniversary of World Pool Masters will maintain last year’s most challenging format, with 16 players competing to take home a $40,000 share from an enticing $125,000 prize pool. Opening round ties will be Race to 9 with the Matchroom break box, magic-racking, and winner breaks in action, with the tournament stretching going to race to 10 for the quarter-finals, 11 for the semi-finals, and 13 for the final.
ABOUT WORLD NINEBALL TOURIntroducing the World Nineball Tour (WNT), a game-changing initiative in professional pool. With a $5 million minimum prize fund and over 40 ranking events worldwide, the WNT heralds a new era for the sport. Committed to fairness, transparency, and commercial viability, the WNT offers players a clear path to success by providing opportunities to accrue World Nineball Ranking points and gain access to prestigious tournaments on the calendar.
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