Cueist Tran Quyet Chien (world No 18) has become the new champion of the 2018 Three-Cushion Carom Billiards World Cup, which took place in Ho Chi Minh City from May 25.

Cueist Tran Quyet Chien along with his wife and two daughters (Source: http://www.kozoom.com)

Chien defeated his countryman Ngo Dinh Nai (world No 30) in the final on May 27 to get the title along with 16,000 EUR in prize money and 80 bonus points from the World Billiards Union (UMB). 

Second place Nai got 10,000 EUR and 54 points. The third place was shared by Caudron Frederic (world No 1) from Belgium and 2017 Asian champion Nguyen Quoc Nguyen (World No 15) from Vietnam, who received 6,000 EUR and 38 points 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 cueists from 17 countries and territories worldwide.

 Among them are world number one Caudron Frederic of Belgium, world number two and defending champion Merckx Eddy, also of Belgium, Spaniard David Martinez, Japanese Yusuke Mori and the Dutchman Sam Van Etten.

 Vietnam sent 18 cueists to the tournament, including 2017 Asian champion Nguyen Quoc Nguyen (World No 15), Tran Quyet Chien (No 18), Ma Minh Cam (No 17), 2017 Asian silver medallist Duong Anh Vu (No 26) and Ngo Dinh Nai (No 30)

This is the fourth time HCM City has hosted the Billiards World Cup.

VNA