LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Millions of people across America love to play pool, but did you know a few of the best players in the world live just across the river in southern Indiana.
23-year-old Fedor Gorst is from Russia but is now living in Kentuckiana. Though many pool players have been playing the game longer than Gorst has been alive, he is likely to beat most of them in a one-on-one match.
The reason Gorst came to the United States was to play in the Derby Classic Tournament, held at the Caesars Southern Indiana Hotel & Casino. That's where he met friends in Louisville and its the reason he still lives here locally.
Gorst is ranked the #2 pool player in the world, according to Matchroom Pool. As a young kid, Gorst started playing a Russian billiards game called "Pyramid," but switched to pool. At just 11 years old, he began winning money and tournaments. By the time he was in his late-teens, he was winning tournaments around the world.
Among many of the games Gorst has won are the World 9-Ball Championship, World Junior Championship, Derby City Classic five times, U.S. Open Bank Pool Championship twice, U.S. Open One Pocket Championship twice, WPA World Nine-ball Championship, and he has won the U.S. Open Pool Championship twice.
Fedor's recent success has made him a celebrity in the pool world. He was even interviewed by podcaster Joe Rogan.
Not to be outdone, 25-year-old Kristina Tkach, also from Russia, is another top-ranked pool player living in Kentuckiana.
"I've been number one in Europe for a long time, and then in the world top eight," Tkach said.
Tkach said she and Gorst have known each other since they were little kids and have been in a relationship together now for the last few years.
While Tkach is focused on winning tournaments, she also has a big social media following with over 100,000 Instagram followers.
Tkach said she enjoys growing the game and has an instructional website to help up-and-coming pool players. She also posts popular pool challenge videos with Gorst on Instagram.
"It's no different than having 1,000 followers, it's just more people messaging you," Tkach said. "I'm kind of trying to give a different perspective of pool that it actually can be professional, it can be fun and fun to watch."
This power couple's goal of becoming the number one pool players in the world takes them all over the world. Gorst says this year alone he will be traveling to Germany, Scotland, the UK, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Saudi Arabia, Spain, China and New Zealand.
Gorst and Tkach are working toward getting their U.S. citizenship. While their continued success in pool could take them anywhere, they have chosen to call a small town in southern Indiana home.
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