World 10-Ball Champion Ko Ping Chung: 'Little Ko' Reaches the Top Again

30/09/2025 07:47:00 PANDATV

Ko Ping Chung is often called "Little Ko." However, after winning his second world championship, this handsome player is no longer just the younger brother of Ko Pin Yi.

Known also as King Killer, Ko Ping Chung defeated former world number one Alexander Kazakis of Greece 3-1 to claim the 2025 WPA World 10-Ball Championship. This is his second world title in 10-ball, the first being in 2019. "My 30th birthday wish has come true," said the player born on September 18, 1995.

Continuing the family tradition

Born on September 18, 1995, in Taiwan, Ko Ping Chung comes from a family with a strong billiards background. His older brother, Ko Pin-yi, was the 2015 world champion in both 9-ball and 10-ball, while his younger brother Ko Ping Han is also a professional player. Ko was introduced to billiards early and quickly showed his talent. At age 15 in 2010, he reached the All Japan Championship final but lost to Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, marking his first international presence.

Ko's early career was not easy. He competed in the 2011 WPA World 10-ball Championship but exited in the round of 64, and also had an early exit at the 2014 WPA World 9-ball Championship. However, thanks to tough training and persistent determination, Ko improved rapidly. By 2015, he was runner-up at the CSI U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship and won the CSI U.S. Open 8-Ball Championship after defeating Shane Van Boening in the final.

These achievements helped Ko establish his position in the global billiards community. Coming from a prestigious billiards family where his brother Ko Pin Yi once dominated world tournaments, Ko Ping Chung is now continuing the legacy and shining on the world stage.

Ko Ping Chung’s second world 10-ball championship

Two-time world champion

Ko Ping Chung’s career truly blossomed with his first world title in 2019 at the WPA World 10-ball Championship in Las Vegas, USA, where he defeated Joshua Filler of England 10-7 in the final. Since then, he has won many major titles, including the 2023 U.S. Open 9-ball Championship (defeating Fedor Gorst 13-6), the 2023 Sharks International 9-ball Open (defeating Michael Feliciano 17-13), and the 2023 Maldives Open 10-Ball Championship (defeating Johann Chua 10-8).

His latest peak was at the 2025 WPA World 10-Ball Championship, held at Sharks Arena, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from September 23-28, 2025. The tournament gathered top players worldwide with a total prize fund of $200,000, awarding $70,000 (about 2.13 million TWD) to the winner.

Ranked 67th by WPA but entering via wildcard, Ko Ping Chung had an impressive run. In the semifinals, he decisively defeated defending champion Carlo Biado of the Philippines 3-0, completing the first set in 30 minutes with two break-and-runs, marking seven consecutive wins. In the final against world number one Alexander Kazakis, Ko easily won the first set 4-0 due to opponent errors, led 2-0 after the second set 4-2. Kazakis recovered by winning the third set 4-1 with a brilliant kick shot, but Ko made a comeback to win the final set 4-3 with excellent defense.

"Actually, I haven't won any major titles since last year. This is my first title since returning to WPA and my third including qualifiers. Previously, no matter how much I trained, I couldn’t win, but this victory proves training really pays off," Ko admitted. This prize is also his largest single-tournament earning, about 1.8 billion VND (2.1 million TWD).

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