Asian invasion at start of World Cup in Ho Chi Minh

HO CHI MINH CITY - The third World Cup of six in total this year got underway early Monday morning in the Vietnamese city of Ho Chi Minh with an invasion of Asian players in the first preliminaries. Dutchman Dick Jaspers is the most outspoken favorite later this week after his two resounding victories this year in Ankara and Las Vegas. The protected top 14 of the world ranking is further pressured by the small differences in the field of Jaspers' pursuers, who leads the rankings with a wide margin: 596 points, 215 points more than number two Marco Zanetti and 249 more than number three, 37-year-old Vietnamese topper Quyet Chien Tran, who won one World Cup in his career in Ho Chi Minh 2018.

This week (23-29 May), the Nguyen Du Stadium is the stronghold for the Vietnamese fans where the world top players gather in Ho Chi Minh City, the country's largest city, formerly Saigon, with its tropical savannah climate and 9 million inhabitants. In the first days, the World Cup cycle gets to know unknown players like Jaein Jung, Luan Cao Phan Triet, Van Phuoc Hieu Nguyen, who just conjure up averages around 2 on the brand new billiard tables. The young Turkish talent Burak Hashas, who became European champion under 17 last month, is one of the players who will start the show on the opening day.

The world top players will come into action from Friday, first in groups of four players, and already guarantee nice battles like Blomdahl-Sánchez, Tasdemir-Coklu, Merckx-Bury, Sayginer-Sidhom and Zanetti-Duc Anh Chien Nguyen.

The top 14 seeded players:
Dick Jaspers
Marco Zanetti
Quyet Chien Tran
Dani Sánchez
Sameh Sidhom
Haeng Jik Kim
Tayfun Tasdemir
Eddy Merckx
Jérémy Bury
Murat Naci Coklu
Martin Horn
Semih Sayginer
Torbjörn Blomdahl
Jung Han Heo.

The wildcards have been handed out by the UMB to Riad Nady (Egypt), Duc Anh Chien Nguyen and Tran Thanh Tu Nguyen.

The European contingent with a small contribution of Colombians, which is already in action on Tuesday with the young Dutchman Sam van Etten and the Spaniard Sergio Jimenez, will mainly show up on Wednesday and Thursday, two days before the main draw with 32. Robinson Morales, Jeffrey Jorissen, Barry van Beers, Takeshima O, Ji Hun Ahn, Ja In Kang and Tom Löwe are the most notable names on the third day of the qualifications.

Thursday is traditionally the day of sub top players who want to earn a place in the main tournament. The most famous names: Myung Woo Cho, Nikos Polychronopoulos, Sung-Won Choi, Choong Bok Lee, Dion Nelin, Roland Forthomme, Lütfi Cenet, Michael Nilsson and Can Capak.

The Koreans have 50 players spread over all days in the tournament, the Vietnamese 28 and the Japanese 22. The Turkish delegation is the strongest represented of the Europeans in Ho Chi Minh with 18 players, the Germans with 8, the Dutch with 7, the Belgians with 5.

The matches can be followed live on the Five&Six channel on YouTube from the first day of play.

Dick Jaspers at the last World Cup stage with Sameh Sidhom, Haeng Jik Kim and Jérémy Bury

The city of Ho Chi Minh, the biggest in Vietnam, is hosting the third World Cup in 2022