HCM City (VNA) – Cueist Tran Quyet Chien (world No 18) hasbecome the new champion of the 2018 Three-Cushion Carom Billiards World Cup,which took place in Ho Chi Minh City from May 25.
Chien defeated his countryman Ngo Dinh Nai (world No 30) in the final onMay 27 to get the title along with 16,000 EUR in prize money and 80 bonuspoints from the World Billiards Union (UMB).
Second place Nai got 10,000 EUR and 54 points. The third place wasshared by Caudron Frederic (world No 1) from Belgium and 2017 Asian championNguyen Quoc Nguyen (World No 15) from Vietnam, who received 6,000 EUR and 38points each.
With total prize money of 106,000 EUR, double that of the 2017 event,the 2018 Three-Cushion Carom Billiards World Cup attracted 149 leading cueistsfrom 17 countries and territories worldwide.
Among them are world number oneCaudron Frederic of Belgium, world number two and defending champion MerckxEddy, also of Belgium, Spaniard David Martinez, Japanese Yusuke Mori and theDutchman Sam Van Etten.
Vietnam sent 18 cueists to thetournament, including 2017 Asian champion Nguyen Quoc Nguyen (World No 15),Tran Quyet Chien (No 18), Ma Minh Cam (No 17), 2017 Asian silver medallistDuong Anh Vu (No 26) and Ngo Dinh Nai (No 30)
This is the fourthtime HCM City has hosted the Billiards World Cup.