Fedor Gorst has been crowned world champion for the second time in his career, trousering the monumental $250,000 top prize after a 15-14 thriller against Eklent Kaci in one of the greatest World Pool Championship finals ever witnessed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Only five players – Earl Strickland, Johnny Archer, Chao Fong-Pang, Thorsten Hohmann and Albin Ouschan – had landed a brace of world titles in nineball pool. However, the formidable Gorst has now etched his name alongside those greats following a blockbuster at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City.

Gorst and Kaci delivered one of only four hill-hill finals in the 34-year history of the prestigious tournament. That was perhaps a fitting finale to the Russia-born American’s rollercoaster campaign, which saw him deal with adversity throughout the week, from being beaten in his opening match to coming through multiple hill-hill battles.

Having won the lag and opened proceedings with a break and run, 2019 champion Gorst capitalised on Kaci leaving the pink four over a pocket to double his lead. Kaci had opted for ultra defensive play during the early exchanges, leaving Gorst a tough shot which he potted to take a 3-0 lead.

That defensive approach did Kaci a service as a good safety on the three led to him obtaining ball-in-hand and getting on the board, although an outstanding and inventive shot from Gorst in the following rack – which saw him pocket the five off of the seven with perfect speed – helped him regain a three-rack buffer.

Gorst recouped a four-rack lead but left the three ball over a pocket in the seventh to hand Kaci the frame. Kaci soon needed to push out, opting to leave Gorst with a makeable jump shot. The American picked up his jump cue and executed a beautiful shot on his way to leading 6-2.

The Ghost subsequently pulled off an incredible two-rail kick around the table, only for his opponent to leave him welded to the seven and unable to escape as the Albanian gained ball-in-hand and reduced the deficit to 6-3.

Having claimed back-to-back racks to lead 8-3, producing his second break and run, Gorst rattled the pocket on the three and Kaci capitalised. That was the first of three consecutive racks for the two-time world 10-ball champion as Gorst spurned six ball attempts in two racks on the bounce, with Kaci notably executing a stunning table-length jump-bank.

His expertise in the jumping department had assisted Gorst to the fullest extent, although he soon rattled the pocket and handed Kaci a chance. The Golden Eagle of Albania subsequently missed the four and almost fluked the nine in agonising fashion, teeing up a four-nine combination for Gorst to lead 9-6.

A dramatic conclusion to the sixteenth rack saw both players miss the nine, before Kaci struck a clever safety which created an easier shot for him to pocket. However, another tricky layout following the break caused troubles for Kaci and Gorst extended his lead again.

Misses began to creep into Gorst’s game, one of which he wasn’t punished for. Having witnessed his opponent unimaginably miss a routine four ball, perhaps caused by fatigue, Kaci had an ideal opportunity to move within touching distance but a missed four ball halted his run and gifted Gorst an 11-8 lead.

A scratch from the break from Gorst presented Kaci with a chance to gain some momentum, although the Albanian scratched himself in the following rack at a pivotal juncture. Gorst capitalised and claimed successive racks, break and running for a third time to gain a 13-9 advantage.

Kaci then stepped in once again to reduce the arrears to 13-10, before unleashing his frustration with a fierce break. Appearing to be completing his first break and run of the match, he missed position and played a poor safety. Fortunately for him, Gorst was unable to execute a tough seven and he moved within two racks once more.

Kaci had gained the momentum and produced two break and runs in three racks, sandwiched by an absolutely unbelievable two-rail two-nine combination to middle pocket, as he was somehow first to the brink of victory, only to break dry on the hill in disastrous fashion.

Having witnessed Kaci catch the one ball too thick from the break, Gorst cleaned up to force a decider. An unforced error from an attempted safety for Kaci in the all-important rack handed Gorst the prestigious title on a silver platter, before he jumped on the table to celebrate in traditional style.