WORLD NUMBER ONE GORST BEGINS PURSUIT FOR FLORIDA GLORY AMONGST STAR-STUDDED FIELD | 2025 LIVESB.IO FLORIDA OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP

World No.1 Fedor Gorst began his campaign at the 2025 LiveSB.io Florida Open Pool Championship in style, joining a stacked field featuring reigning world champion Carlo Biado, five-time US Open champions Earl Strickland and Shane Van Boening, all aiming to etch their names into the history books of this brand-new title.

The 2025 LiveSB.io Florida Open Pool Championship — the latest Matchroom Major on the World Nineball Tour — takes place at last year’s sell-out Mosconi Cup venue, the stunning Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, from 5–10 August.

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Gorst opened his tournament with a commanding 9-3 win over Jose Ramon Diaz to advance into the Winners’ Qualification stage, where he later faced Nguyen Hai Dang.

“It feels great to be back competing after a week off following the final in Saudi. My first match today was a tough one against Raulito Diaz — he’s a strong opponent, especially for a first round — and I was also dealing with a stomach ache during the match. I’m just grateful I got through it and had time to recover before my second match. I played really well after that — breaking strong, making tough shots, and finding good rhythm. It’s definitely a confidence boost heading into Day Two, where I’ll face Jesus Atencio.”

Atencio earned his shot against Gorst on day two after defeating the legendary Earl Strickland in their second match. Strickland cruised through his opener with a 9-1 win over Andy Goldstein but fell short against the Venezuelan, losing 9-5.

“I struggled with the break across both matches — it was tough getting control of the table. In the first match, my opponent made a few simple mistakes that helped me, but overall I played well. In the second match, things didn’t go my way.

I need to dial in the break for my next match. I was hitting too hard, and couldn’t cut the 9 into the side. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll find the rhythm I had in my first match.”

Fresh off his World Championship triumph in Saudi Arabia, Carlo Biado looked sharp on day one, cruising past Sam Henderson 9-3 in his opener, then following it up with a 9-4 win over Quinten Pongers.

“I played well, but I’m feeling tired after two matches. It was a long flight from the Philippines to Orlando. Even though I won the World Championship, I’m still human! I missed a few shots, but my opponents made more mistakes. Right now, I’m staying focused and preparing for tomorrow.”

Shane Van Boening, the five-time US Open champion, kicked off his campaign for a sixth U.S.-based major title with a solid 9-4 win over Spain’s Juan Carlos Expósito.

“I’m happy with the win. There were a couple of errors near the end, but I pulled through and got the job done. It feels good to be playing back on home soil again.”

Also entering the hunt for Florida glory was Jayson Shaw, who returned to the site of his seventh Mosconi Cup title — where he also became the first player ever to be named MVP as a playing captain. Shaw carried that form into the Florida Open, defeating Eliseo Omar Marin Pinto 9-4 to remain in the Winners’ Qualification stage.

Shaw’s Team Europe teammate from last year, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, was equally dominant. The Spaniard delivered two crushing 9-0 victories, first against Daniel Ramirez and then against Pierfrancesco Garzia. Ruiz made a statement in his opening match, defeating Ramirez in under 25 minutes — a clear sign he’s here for business.

One of the standout stories of day one came from Albert Januarta, who made a dream debut in his first-ever Matchroom Major. Januarta delivered two impressive wins over Michael Schneider and “The Butcher” Mieszko Fortuński.

“I feel so good. I’m honestly surprised — this is my first time playing in a Matchroom Major, so to get two wins on the first day… wow.”

Don’t miss your chance to experience the showdown in the Sunshine State live – secure your tickets now.

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.

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