World No.1 Fedor Gorst stormed into the Last 16 of the 2025 LiveSB.io US Open Pool Championship on day four, keeping his title defence firmly on track, while reigning world champion Carlo Biado suffered a heartbreaking exit at the hands of Denis Grabe.
The 2025 LiveSB.io US Open Pool Championship — the 48th edition of the World Nineball Tour’s most prestigious major — continues at the iconic Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, from 18–23 August.
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FULL DRAW
Defending champion Fedor Gorst looked untouchable, sweeping aside Karl Gnadeberg and Szymon Kural with two commanding wins to reach the penultimate stage of his title defence.
“It feels good to be back in the Last 16. Today was solid — I played well, broke well, and kept control in both matches. But this is where the tournament really begins. Every match from here is a battle, so I’ll be ready to fight for every rack. I came here to defend this title, and that’s still the goal.”
For Carlo Biado, however, the dream of becoming the first Filipino to win two US Open titles came to an abrupt end with a 9-4 defeat to Grabe in the Last 64 stage.
“I didn’t start well and Denis took full advantage. He played excellent and never really gave me a chance to get back into the match. That’s the US Open — you can’t afford a slow start at this level. Of course I’m disappointed, but I’ll come back stronger in the next tournament. I wish Denis and the other Filipino players the best of luck.”
Jayson Shaw continued his charge towards a second US Open crown, producing impressive wins over Max Lechner and Emil Gangflot to book his spot in the Last 16.
“I felt really good today. Max beat me in Florida so I wanted a bit of revenge, and I came in with the right attitude. I’ve been playing solid all week, and I’m happy with where my game is. The Last 16 is always tough, but I feel like I’m in good shape to go deep this year.”
Joshua Filler also underlined his credentials, dismantling Lo Ho Sum before edging out Chang Yu Lung in a thrilling contest.
“Chang played unbelievable — some of the jump shots he made were incredible. At the start I struggled with the break and it gave him chances, but towards the end I found my rhythm and that made the difference. The US Open is one of the toughest tournaments in the world, maybe the toughest. I’ve won it once, but to do it again would be even more special. There’s still a long way to go, so it’s all about staying sharp and taking it one match at a time.”
Meanwhile, the Hanoi Open champion Johann Chua battled past Thorsten Hohmann and Alexander Kazakis to join his compatriots in the Last 16.
“I’m really happy to make it through. Against Thorsten I struggled, but I stayed positive and my second match felt much better — my focus and my game were both where they needed to be. Winning the US Open would be a dream, not just for me but for the Philippines. I’ll keep working and hopefully carry this form into tomorrow.”
With the field now narrowed to 16, the stakes rise higher than ever as the world’s best eye pool’s most prestigious prize in America.
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Fans can follow the full draw and live rack-by-rack scoring at www.wntlivescores.com, with coverage of the action shown on WNT TV in the USA and other selected international territories. Full broadcast list can be found here.