Billiards: Defending champion Vietnam impressively wins opening match of World Cup Korea

The reigning Vietnamese national champion Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu played well and won by a large margin against the Turkish player in the opening match of the Gwangju Billiards World Cup taking place in Korea.

Thanh Tu scored 40 points in 16 innings

Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu is scheduled to appear from the fourth (final) qualifying round of the Gwangju Billiards World Cup 2025, in Group K with Tarik Yavuz (Türkiye) and Sergio Jimenez (Spain). In his opening match, Thanh Tu faced the Turkish player. With quite good form, the current national champion of Vietnam only needed 16 shots to finish the match, reaching the 40-point mark.

Thanh Tu entered the match with a 6-point series in the opening round. In the 8th round, the Vietnamese player continued to have a series of 8 points. After 10 rounds, the gap had widened to 24 points, with Thanh Tu leading 30-6. In the end, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu won convincingly 40-16 against Tarik Yavuz.

The victory in the opening match opened the door for Thanh Tu to enter the final round (32 players) of the Gwangju Billiards World Cup 2025. In the decisive match for the ticket to the next round, Thanh Tu met Jimenez. In theory, the Vietnamese player is rated higher.

Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu had a smooth start at the Gwangju 2025 Billiards World Cup

PHOTO: TB

Bao Phuong Vinh lost the opening match.

Also in the opening match of the fourth qualifying round, Le Thanh Tien won 40-34 against Nguyen Hoan Tat, after 28 turns. In this match, Thanh Tien had the highest series of 10 points. Notably, Thanh Tien, Hoan Tat and Bao Phuong Vinh were all in group A. In which, Phuong Vinh was determined to start from the second qualifying round. Thanh Tien and Hoan Tat are the two players who passed the third qualifying round.

After losing in the opening match, Hoan Tat surprised everyone by defeating Bao Phuong Vinh with a score of 40-33, after 32 rounds. Bao Phuong Vinh was in a difficult position, having to beat Thanh Tien with a high score in the last match of Group A to have a chance to continue.

In Group G, Dao Van Ly lost 35-40 to Jeong Sung-il (South Korea). Van Ly had a difficult time in the decisive match, when he had to face the Swedish "legend" Torbjorn Blomdahl.

Nguyen Chi Long had a smooth start in Group J, when he dramatically defeated Rui Manuel Costa (Portugal) 40-38. In the remaining match, Chi Long faced a formidable Turkish player, Gokhan Salman.

Chiem Hong Thai started in Group C, drawing 40-40 with David Pennor (Sweden). In the decisive match, the 1999-born Vietnamese player will face Huberney Catano (Colombia). Hong Thai must win to secure a place in the final round.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/billiards-duong-kim-vo-dich-viet-nam-thang-an-tuong-tran-ra-quan-world-cup-han-quoc-185251106132324269.htm