The World’s Best: A Vietnamese Billiard Player’s Rise to the Top
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. Vietnamese ...