Quang Chien faced off against his fellow countryman, Tran Thanh Luc, in a highly anticipated Round of 16 knockout match.
The familiarity between the two players resulted in a tentative opening, with Chien cautiously building a substantial lead of 26-16 before the break. He continued his dominant form after the interval, extending his lead to 39-17.
Although Luc staged a valiant comeback, narrowing the gap to 39-45, Chien remained composed and clinched a hard-fought 50-39 win after a tense 29 turns. This victory not only secured his place in the quarterfinals but also propelled him to the world number one ranking.
Chien’s main rivals, Cho Myung Woo, Kim Jun Tae, and Dick Jaspers, had already been knocked out earlier in the tournament.
Just hours later, in the early hours of Saturday morning, Chien faced South Korean player Heo Jung Han in the quarterfinals. Despite initially taking a commanding 7-1 lead, Chien encountered setbacks and found himself trailing 13-10.
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| Vietnamese billiards player Bao Phuong Vinh aiming during the Ankara World Cup 3-Cushion 2024. Photo: Union Mondiale de Billard |
Chien fought back to briefly regain the lead at 27-23, but a decisive 9-point shot from Heo Jung Han swung the match in his favor, putting him ahead 32-27. Heo Jung Han maintained his momentum and ultimately clinched the match 50-39 after 24 turns, advancing to the semifinals.
This loss marked the end of Chien’s impressive run in the tournament.
However, there was more joy for Vietnam as another Vietnamese player, Bao Phuong Vinh, ranked 12th in the world, progressed to the semifinals with two consecutive wins on Friday evening. Vinh, the standout performer of the tournament so far, will face Egypt’s Sidhom Sameh in the semis, with their match scheduled for 2:00 pm on Saturday.
Vietnamese Billiards Win Global Championship
Tran Quyet Chien and Bao Phuong Vinh have created a historic moment for Vietnamese billiards, making it to the Final of the 2023 World Championship 3-Card Carom and becoming the first all-Vietnamese Final pairing in the event’s history.
