by Ben Hudd • July 31, 2023
Ko Ping-Chung has rocketed inside the world’s top ten following his triumphant campaign at the inaugural Sharks International 9-Ball Open in the Philippines.
Ko was ranked 21st on the World Nineball Tour official rankings ahead of his trip to Quezon City following runs to the US Open semi-finals and the UK Open quarter-finals.
However, the Taiwanese star landed a career-best nineball accolade at the Great White Arena, overcoming Michael Feliciano 17-13 to scoop the $30,000 top prize.
His success moves him up to world number nine, leapfrogging his older brother, the reigning World Pool Masters champion Ko Pin-Yi, and means he will be one of the highest seeds at all Matchroom events.
Meanwhile, unheralded Filipino Feliciano enters the world nineball rankings in 54th after earning the $15,000 runner-up’s prize.
He will now receive priority entry into all Matchroom signature open tournaments should he choose to accept that, including October’s inaugural Asian Open Pool Championship in Vietnam.
Fedor Gorst jumped above Skyler Woodward and Alexander Kazakis to move onto the brink of the world’s top ten following his run to the last 16 in the Philippines.
Semi-finalists Oliver Villafuerte and Patric Gonzales enter the rankings in 75th place after earning $7,500.
WORLD NINEBALL TOUR RANKINGS
Top 16 following the Sharks International Open
1 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz $183,877
2 Shane van Boening $116,476
3 Joshua Filler $107,650
4 Albin Ouschan $83,070
5 Jayson Shaw $82,855
6 Mario He $78,237
7 Eklent Kaci $69,720
8 Wiktor Zielinski $64,796
9 Ko Ping-Chung $62,655
10 Max Lechner $52,450
11 Ko Pin-Yi $51,427
12 Fedor Gorst $49,725
13 Skyler Woodward $49,350
14 Alexander Kazakis $48,317
15 Niels Feijen $41,550
16 Mohammad Soufi $36,090
