Following a year in which history was created, underdogs became champions and destiny was fulfilled, it has been a year that, for many reasons, will long be talked about.
From Fedor Gorst’s unprecedented World Pool Championship, US Open Championship and World Pool Masters triple crown to Robbie Capito and Mickey Krause landing elusive major accolades to Kristina Tkach becoming a world champion, 2024 will live long in the memory for many.
Despite the ongoing saga between Matchroom’s World Nineball Tour and the WPA casting a shadow over pool’s ever-changing landscape, the players have delivered unforgettable moments on both sides of the divide.
Absolute Pool have selected our Match of the Year, Tournament of the Year, Most Improved, Women’s Player of the Year and Player of the Year to round off a sensational season.
MATCH OF THE YEAR – FEDOR GORST V EKLENT KACI – WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Fedor Gorst and Eklent Kaci delivered one of only four hill-hill finals in the 34-year history of the World Pool Championship in June, which was perhaps a fitting finale to Gorst’s rollercoaster route to a second world title in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Joshua Filler and Gorst’s fascinating World Pool Masters final and Robbie Capito’s win over Filler at the UK Open Championship both provided immense drama, but the Middle East epic between Gorst and Kaci edges both of those.
Gorst had constructed a seemingly unassailable 8-3 advantage in a match worth a career-changing $250,000 – the richest prize ever seen in nineball pool – but Kaci battled back and was able to force a decider. At 14 apiece, a dramatic unforced error from Kaci left the trophy on a silver platter for the world number one.
Honourable mentions go to the thrilling Women’s World 10-Ball Championship final between eventual champion Kristina Tkach and Seo Seoa as well as Duong Quoc Hoang and Ko Pin-Yi’s epic Scottish Open semi-final, which featured a gripping safety exchange in the deciding rack.
TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR – UK OPEN
Despite this year witnessing the groundbreaking million-dollar World Pool Championship in Saudi Arabia and the inaugural Reyes Cup, the UK Open Championship in England simply had everything, from seismic shocks to drama to a surprise champion.
Hong Kong youngster Robbie Capito stunned both Fedor Gorst and Joshua Filler in successive rounds on his way to a maiden major accolade in Telford, and was accompanied by three other underdogs in Mieszko Fortunski, Pijus Labutis and Petri Makkonen in the semi-finals.
It was a major tournament that encapsulated the very essence of the World Nineball Tour and the opportunity that players now have to make a name for themselves by gaining memorable victories over the sport’s household names.
It’s been a year that has seen several extraordinary events unfold nonetheless, with the World Nineball Tour’s World Championship, Reyes Cup, US Open and Derby City Classic being other particular highlights, as well as Predator’s Women’s World 9-Ball Championship and Women’s World 10-Ball Championship.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS OF THE YEAR – MICKEY KRAUSE AND SOFIA MAST
Numerous players have heightened their games significantly this season but no one comes close to Denmark’s Mickey Krause and Florida’s Sofia Mast in terms of improvement.
American teenager Mast was crowned the girls world junior champion for the first time in New Zealand, making amends for her defeat in the final 12 months earlier, and then progressed to reach the Women’s World 10-Ball Championship quarter-finals on debut, notably beating Jasmin Ouschan.
Krause, meanwhile, rocketed himself into the European teams for both the Mosconi Cup and the Reyes Cup this season, winning his maiden major title at the European Open Championship and also snapping off the Bucharest Open. His remarkable rise has been there for all to see, having begun the year as the world number 71.
Some would argue that Johann Chua deserves the award based on being the Hanoi Open champion, a European Open runner-up and a World Pool Championship semi-finalist, and having started the year ranked 63rd. However, the quality that he possesses was already evident and it was only a matter of time before he showcased that on a major stage.
WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR – KRISTINA TKACH
Following in your future husband’s footsteps when he’s had a year as astounding as Fedor Gorst would be some achievement, although WPA women’s world number one Kristina Tkach has been equally as exceptional this season and come on leaps and bounds.
Tkach has been sizzling beneath the surface for a number of years now on the women’s scene but 2024 has been the year that she made the quantum jump, reaching her second successive Women’s World 9-Ball Championship semi-final and then sealing an elusive Women’s World 10-Ball Championship crown in Puerto Rico.
Having experienced almost every emotion possible on her way to making dreams a reality and becoming the women’s world 10-ball champion, Tkach emerged victorious following a four-hour thriller against South Korean star Seo Seoa in the final to cap off a memorable few days.
It was a prosperous year for Tkach too as she ended the season ranked ninth on the AZBilliards money leaderboard for both male and female players, earning roughly $137,000 in prize money – around $50,000 more than the next female player in Chou Chieh-Yu.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – FEDOR GORST
No one can dispute the undeniable fact that Fedor Gorst has been this year’s prominent player. His excellence has been frightening and his dominance has been palpable during a history-making season that saw him land an unprecedented triple crown.
No one had even won the World Pool Championship and the US Open Championship during the same calendar year but Gorst went even further beyond expectations, sealing the World Pool Masters in addition to those coveted titles in an achievement which may never be matched again.
In addition, the formidable Gorst etched his name into an exclusive club of two-time world champions in nineball pool following his rollercoaster campaign in Saudi Arabia, accompanying Earl Strickland, Johnny Archer, Chao Fong-Pang, Thorsten Hohmann and Albin Ouschan.
The world number one was beaten in his opening match in the Middle East, subsequently emerging through three hill-hill battles and producing numerous comebacks on his way to becoming world champion, most notably fighting back from 7-1 behind against Ameer Ali.
Aside from his irrefutable talents, Gorst’s professionalism makes him a role model for many away from the pool table too and he’s a tremendous ambassador for the World Nineball Tour as their world number one and world champion.
