The world’s best and most witty geniuses, such as Efren Reyes and Ralph Greenleaf, can be witnessed sometimes in the game of Pool or the world of billiards. Today, we have attempted to list the world’s top pool players of the current time based on their records and current rankings.
Being a highly competitive game, billiards rankings constantly change according to players’ performance in the most significant events.
Let’s find out who is the best pool player in 2024. Players are listed based on present World Pool-Billard Association (WPA) rankings.
This is our list, and we hope our list doesn’t disappoint you!
12. Wu Jia-qing
- Nationality: Chinese
- Current Ranking: 12
- Plays: Left-handed
- Career Records: 124 wins/51 losses
Wu Jia-qing is a professional Chinese pool player. He is nicknamed Taishan Shentong, which means Litle Genuis from Taishan.
At age 10, Wu started playing 8-ball Pool at his family-run pool club. His grandmother used to transport him on her scooter from one tournament location to another.
In 2004 he finished runner-up in Juniors Nine-ball World Championship.
However, in 2005, he became the youngest ever player to win WPA World Nine-ball Championship aged, 16.
The same year, he came victorious in the WPA World Eight-ball Championship. Likewise, he finished runner-up in the WPA World ten-ball championship in 2010.
In 2011, Wu registered to obtain China citizenship to participate in more international tournaments. But initially, his application was denied.
After achieving Chinese citizenship, he went to win the 2016 and 2019 China Open. Likewise, in 2018 he captured the World Cup of Pool.
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11. Ouschan Albin
- Nationality: Austrian
- Current Ranking: 11
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 83 wins/40 losses
Ouschan Albin is a professional Austrian pool and billiards player. Moreover, his highest ranking was ranked #1 in the WPA ranking in 2014.
Albin is two time World Cup of Pool champion. In 2017 and 2019, he won the tournament with fellow Austrian Mario He. Likewise, in 2018 they finished runner-up.
In 2015 he won China Open, Dutch Open, and Mosconi Cup. Next year he clinched Mosconi Cup MVP as well as World 9-ball champion. Previously, he finished runner-up in the World 9-ball championship in 2014.
He is a multiple 8-ball, ten-ball, and straight pool champion. Altogether Albin has 40 Austrian National Championships to his name.
10. Tyler Styler
- Nationality: American
- Current Ranking: 10
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 32 wins/23 losses
Tyler Styler is a professional American pool player. Representing the USA, he won the back-to-back Mosconi Cup in 2018 and 2019.
Moreover, he started playing Pool at the age of 14 years in 2009. At his first WPA World Nine-ball Junior Championship, he finished 13th.
Moreover, Styler’s best win came in the 2019 Kremlin World Cup, where he ended as champion.
Although he has made it to the World 10 ball championship and World 9 ball championship, he has not finished the podium position.
9. Lechner Maximilian
- Nationality: Austrian
- Current Ranking: 9
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 36 wins/23 losses
Lechner Maximilian is a professional Austrian pool player. Mad Max is his pet name.
In 2008 Maximilian became junior WPA World Nine-ball Champion.
Likewise, in the same year, he clinched straight and 8-ball European Junior Championship.
In the 2017 and 2018 World 9 ball Championship, he finished in 33rd place. Similarly, in the 2019 World 10 ball Championship and World 9 ball championship, he became 17th.
His best finish in World 9 ball Championship came in 2021, where he finished in 5th place.
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8. Ralf Souquet
- Nationality: German
- Current Ranking: 9
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 193 wins/121 losses
Ralf Souquet is a professional German pool player. He is nicknamed “The Kaiser.”
Ralf started playing billard when he was six years old at his family bar. He used to practice for 5 hours daily.
Later, at 14, he won his first-ever Junior German Championship. Later, in 1986 he won European Championship in the junior category.
Since making his debut, he has already won more than 200 titles. He has 41 German Championship and 34 European Championship individual and team titles to his name.
Moreover, in 1996 Ralf got his hand to his first WPA World 9 ball championship defeating Swedish Tom Storm. He also made his journey to the final in the same competitions in 2001 and 2006 but finished runner-up.
Later, in 2008 Ralf clinched his second world title after triumphed over Alcano in WPA World 8-ball Championship.
Furthermore, he is five times World Pool master and one time World Cup of Pool champion.
7. David Alcaide
- Nationality: Spanish
- Current Ranking: 7
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 94 wins/ 66 losses
David Alcaide is a Spanish professional pool player. Alcaide started playing Pool at the age of 5, later becoming Spanish 8-ball champion at 14 years old.
Moreover, his first breakthrough came in 1998 after finishing third place in the Spanish Open.
Likewise, in 2006 he became the first Spanish to play for Europe in the Mosconi Cup. Unfortunately, he ended the tournament with 4wins and two losses.
Later in 2017, he again represented Europe 2017, ending with three wins and one loss, lifting the trophy this time.
The same year, he won the World Pool of Master and Kremlin World Cup. He was also quite successful in the Euro tour, winning Treviso Open twice in 2009 and 2016.
Similarly, in European Pool Championship, he won the 2010 Straight pool championship, 2013 8-ball, and 2014 and 2016 8 10-ball tournaments.
Alcaide secured a bronze medal in the WPA World 8-ball championship in 2011 and the World 10-ball championship in 2009, 2011, and 2015.
Furthermore, Alcaide has played snooker professionally, participating in the 2019 Gibraltar Open, a professional snooker ranking tournament.
6. Alexander Kazakis
- Nationality: Greek
- Current Ranking: 6
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 106 wins/ 55 losses
Alexander Kazakis is a professional Greek pool player. In 2018 he was ranked #1 in the WPA ranking.
Kazakis clinched the 2016 Kremlin World Cup, winning all the games in the tournament.
In 2018 he made it into the WPA World Nine-ball Championship semis but lost to eventual champion Joshua Filler.
However, the same year, he came victorious in the Euro Tour event Austria Open beating Estonian Deis Grabe 9-6 in the final.
Likewise, in the 2019 World Pool Masters, he claimed the second spot losing against David Alcaide.
But, in the 2021 World Pool Masters, he became the first player to win finals with a “clean sweep.” He defeated Amerian Shane Van Boening 9-0 in the final.
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5. Neils Feijen
- Nationality: Dutch
- Current Ranking: 6
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 120 wins/71 losses
Neils Feijen is a Dutch professional pool player; He is nicknamed “The Terminator.“
Feijen lifted the inaugural Skins Billards Championship in 2004. Likewise, he won European Straight Pool Championship seven times.
He also won the European 9-ball Championship on two occasions. He played for Europe at Mosconi Cup in 2001, 2004-05, 2007-09, and 2011-16. Similarly, he has been named MVP on four occasions in Mosconi Cup.
Later, in 2008 he won World Straight Pool Champions defeating Filipino Francisco Bustamante. Likewise, he finished third in the inaugural WPA World 10-ball championship.
He finished runner-up in the 2010 and 2011 World 8-ball Championship. Feijen is also two times World Pool Masters champion.
Feijen is ranked third in terms of victories in the Euro Tour with ten. Likewise, his 37 medals are ranked second on the Euro tour.
4. Jayson Shaw
- Nationality: Scottish
- Current Ranking: 4
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 101 wins/48 losses
Jayson Shaw is a professional Scottish pool player. Moreover, he has played in professional blackball, 8-ball, 9-ball, and 10-ball events.
In 2010 he won the World Blackball championship. Later, in 2016, he came victorious in the 25th International Challenge of Champions tournament.
He has represented Europe in Mosconi Cup on multiple occasions, winning the title in 2016 and 2017.
Although he has participated in multiple WPA World Champions, he has not finished in podium position.
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3. Ko Pin-Chung
- Nationality: Taiwanese
- Current Ranking: 4
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 100 wins/44 losses
Ko Pin-Chung is a Taiwanese 9-ball and 10-ball professional pool player. He is the younger brother of professional pool player Ko-Pin-Yi.
Ko reached his first-ever significant finals in the All Japan Open but lost to Thorsten Hohmann in 2011.
Likewise, in his first-ever WPA World 10-ball championship in 2011, he reached the knockout stage.
Later, in 2013 he became World 9-ball Champion in the junior division.
Similarly, he won his first World Championship in 2019, the World 10-ball championship, whereas he secured three positions in the 9-ball event.
2. Shane Van Boening
- Nationality: American
- Current Ranking: 2
- Plays: Right-handed
- Career Records: 181 wins/70 losses
Shane Van Boening is a professional American pool player. He is nicknamed “The South Dakota Kid.”
Although he uses a hearing aid, it has not affected his pool performance. Over his professional career, Shane has won 50 titles.
Moreover, in 2020, Billards Diges Magazine named him the 2010 “Player of the Decade” honor.
Similarly, in 2008, all of the three major pool publications: Billards Digest, Pool & Billiard Magazine, and Inside Pool Magazine, he was honored 2007 Male Player of the Year.
Furthermore, he is a multiple US Open Championship holder. He has 17 titles to his name under different categories.
Teaming up with Rodney Morris, he won the World Cup of Pool in 2008. Likewise, he won Mosconi Cup three times and the World Pool Masters two times.
Similarly, in 2019 he claimed World Stright Pool Championship.
1. Joshua Filler
- Nationality: German
- Current Ranking: 1
- Plays: Left-handed
- Career Records: 105 wins/38 losses
Joshua Filler is the number #1 ranked pool player in the WPA ranking. He began competing at the national level at billard at age 10.
Later, in 2017 Filler became the youngest player in history to represent Europe in Mosconi Cup, aged 20. His team claimed the first position, and he was also adjudged MVP of the event.
In the same year, he became the youngest champion in China’s Open history.
Next year he became European Pool Champion, followed by victory in WPA World 9-ball Championship and Leende Open.
Likewise, in 2019, Filler finished runner-up in the WPA World 10-ball championship and claimed the first position in the US Open 9-ball championship.
Summary
The list is a current update of WPA, and all types of pool players are included in the ranking. Let’s have a glance at the summary before ending our article.
- Joshua Filler
- Shane Van Boening
- Ko Pin-Chung
- Jayson Shaw
- Neils Feijen
- Alexander Kazakis
- David Alcaide
- Ralf Souquet
- Lechner Maximilian
- Tyler Styler
- Ouschan Albin
- Wu Jia-qing
 is responsible for ranking billiard players. Here's. the list of top 12 best pool players in the world.){kind=link}
No way Styer and Souguet should be on this list. Maybe Top 50 but neither are currently top 12 by any means. Styer is barely top 12 USA.
Why is Efern Rayes not listed