The Ankara World Cup concluded with a familiar sight at the top of the podium. South Korea's Cho Myung Woo captured the title after another remarkable week, defeating Dick Jaspers in a thrilling final and further cementing his status as the dominant force in modern three-cushion billiards.
More than just another World Cup victory, this success underlines an extraordinary trend. Ankara marks Cho's fourth World Cup title in the last seven events, a level of consistency rarely seen in such a competitive era. Already sitting at the top of the UMB world rankings ahead of Frédéric Caudron, the Korean star continues to widen the gap between himself and the rest of the field.
A spectacular final against Jaspers
The final brought together the two most impressive players of the week.
Dick Jaspers arrived in the championship match after a superb tournament, posting a 2.071 general average and producing one of the best performances of the knockout stage with his 50-44 victory over Martin Horn in just 19 innings during the quarter-finals.
Yet even against the Dutch legend, Cho found another gear.
The final delivered a world-class display from both players. After only 21 innings, Cho edged Jaspers 50-49 with averages of 2.380 and 2.333 respectively.
One decisive moment stood above all others: Cho's magnificent run of 20, the highest run recorded during the main tournament and one of the defining highlights of the entire week in Ankara.
A champion's path
The title was earned through a demanding knockout route.
Cho first eliminated Glenn Hofman before defeating Torbjörn Blomdahl in the quarter-finals. He then overcame Bao Phuong Vinh in the semi-finals before finishing the job against Jaspers.
His overall tournament statistics illustrate the quality of his performance. Cho finished with the highest average of the event at 2.191, collected fourteen match points and completed the week with an outstanding winning percentage.
At just 27 years old, he appears to be entering the prime years of his career while already building a résumé that places him among the most successful players of his generation.
Jaspers confirms his class
Although he fell one point short in the final, Dick Jaspers leaves Ankara with plenty of positives.
The Dutchman once again demonstrated why he remains one of the most respected competitors in the sport. His route to the final included victories over Eddy Merckx and Martin Horn, while his overall average remained above the two-point mark throughout the tournament.
As long as Jaspers continues to produce performances at this level, he will remain a serious contender for every major title.
Strong showing from Vietnam
Vietnam once again confirmed its growing influence on the international scene.
Bao Phuong Vinh reached the semi-finals after another consistent World Cup campaign and finished tied for third place alongside Marco Zanetti.
Tran Thanh Luc also impressed, reaching the quarter-finals and recording the highest average of the Last 16 with an excellent 2.631 performance against Berkay Karakurt.
With multiple players regularly reaching the latter stages of major events, Vietnam continues to establish itself as one of the strongest nations in world three-cushion billiards.
Veterans still delivering
The tournament also highlighted the remarkable longevity of several established stars.
Marco Zanetti once again reached the semi-finals, producing a strong overall average of 1.829 and reminding everyone why he remains one of the sport's most complete competitors.
Torbjörn Blomdahl reached the quarter-finals and remained highly competitive throughout the event, while Frédéric Caudron and Martin Horn both advanced to the knockout rounds and contributed to the exceptionally strong standard seen during the final stages.
Breakthroughs and emerging names
As always, Ankara produced several stories beyond the title race.
Germany's Tom Löwe was among the revelations of the week. Emerging from the qualification rounds, he reached the main draw and continued to impress against far more experienced opposition. His performances suggest that another promising player may be ready to establish himself on the World Cup circuit.
Turkey's Gokhan Salman also enjoyed an excellent home event, reaching the quarter-finals and defeating several high-level opponents along the way.
Encouraging signs for France
For the French contingent, the week brought several positive developments.
Jérémy Bury returned to the main draw and remained competitive in one of the toughest groups of the tournament. Pierre Soumagne successfully navigated the qualification stages and earned another appearance in the World Cup main event.
Maxime Panaia continued his steady rise by reaching the main draw for the second time in his career and producing one of the most notable French performances of the week, including a victory over Kim Haeng Jik. He finished the tournament with a 1.525 average in the main event.
Meanwhile, Mikael Devogelaere delivered another solid qualification campaign and continues to gain valuable international experience.
The man everyone is chasing
The Ankara World Cup may ultimately be remembered as another chapter in the rise of Cho Myung Woo.
Three-cushion billiards has rarely been deeper than it is today. Jaspers, Caudron, Zanetti, Bao Phuong Vinh, Tran Quyet Chien, Sameh Sidhom and many others are capable of winning any major event.
Yet over the last two seasons, one player has consistently separated himself from the pack.
Four World Cup victories in the last seven events. World number one. The highest average in Ankara. A title secured against one of the greatest players in history.
The message from Turkey was unmistakable: Cho Myung Woo is no longer simply one of the contenders. At this moment, he is the player defining the standard of world three-cushion billiards.