“I’m so happy—I’m now a two-time world pool champion,” Carlo Biado said with a smile, holding his gold medal. “This is for the Philippines.” His championship trophy sat proudly on the table in front of him during his interview with matchroompool.
Biado fought off a fierce comeback by defending champion Fedor Gorst and clinched a hard-earned 15–13 victory in the 2025 World Pool 9-Ball Championship on Sunday morning (Philippine time) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
With the win, the 41-year-old cue artist became the first Filipino to win two world 9-ball titles, adding to his 2017 triumph in Doha. He also brought the championship back to the Philippines for the first time in eight years, earning a $250,000 (₱14.29 million) top prize.
Biado surged ahead after a slow start. Gorst grabbed the first two racks, but Biado responded with nine straight, building a 9–2 lead. Still, he refused to relax.
“Even with a big lead, I stayed focused,” Biado said. “I knew Fedor could get a monster break—and he did.”
Gorst, the Russian-born star now representing the U.S., won seven consecutive racks and tied the match at 9–9. Biado regrouped and countered with four straight racks to go up 13–9, only to see Gorst fight back again and level the score at 13-all.
The 27th rack turned the tide. Gorst broke dry, giving Biado an opening. The Filipino cleared the table, then broke and ran out in the final rack to seal the win and reclaim the title.
He also acknowledged his growing role on the global stage. “This win earns big points for Team Asia. I always play in WPA events, and I hope to join the Reyes up again."
The victory drew praise from Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who called Biado “a gem in world pool.”
“This is another great reason to celebrate,” Tolentino said. “Carlo Biado now stands as the only Filipino to win the 9-ball world title twice. Long live Biado and Philippine billiards.”
Earlier in the tournament, Biado defeated 20-year-old countryman Bernie Regalario, 11–3, in the all-Filipino semifinal. Gorst advanced by beating Albanian contender Kledio Kaci, 11–7.
With this win, Biado joins the ranks of elite multi-time world champions like Earl Strickland, Johnny Archer, Thorsten Hohmann, and Gorst himself. Among Filipinos, only Efren “Bata” Reyes (1999), Ronnie Alcano (2006), and Francisco “Django” Bustamante (2010) have claimed the 9-ball world crown—each once.
Now, Biado stands alone as a two-time champion.
“I’m proud to bring this trophy back to the Philippines,” he said. “And I’m grateful to every Filipino who watched, cheered, and believed in me. This is for all of you.” MLSA WITH REPORTS FROM POC/WIRES