BLOIS – Vietnamese Quyet Chien Tran is the glorious winner of the Doozy 3 Cushion Challenge after defeating two Belgian top guns on the final day. The best of the two Tran players in the final weekend first defeated Eddy Merckx 50-23 in 22/21 innings (2,272 for Tran) and then dominated Frédéric Caudron in the final match, winning 50-15 in 19/18 innings. Quyet Chien Tran's dominance was impressive, especially in his performance against Caudron, the reigning world champion, who was still undefeated but suffered a heavy knockout in the fight for the gold trophy and €30,000. The French invitational tournament in Blois was a highlight for participants and spectators. Many people witnessed three-cushion featuring all the world's top players at the highest level. The Vietnamese and Belgians ultimately emerged as the grandmasters of this Challenge, with Quyet Chien Tran the undisputed winner.

For several years now, the top three-cushion billiards players have been divided between those playing for the regular world federation and other professional players seeking adventure in the Korean PBA tour. The earnings in the PBA tournaments used to be much higher, but the world federation is catching up. Quyet Chien Tran won the Challenge in Blois, France, this Sunday and received a prize of 30,000 euros. Starting next year, Drawshots, formerly Kozoom, will organize a cycle of five major tournaments in the world with comparable prize money, including a $50,000 prize for the winner.

The new impetus from the UMB, the world federation, should make the transition of Europeans to the Korean professional federation, which is not recognized by the IOC, less attractive in the future.

The Doozy Challenge was a great stepping stone at the end of the year, featuring all the big names and ultimately Quyet Chien Tran in the final against reigning world champion Frédéric Caudron. The Vietnamese player was the sublime winner in a superiorb final.

Semi-final report

Two Belgians and two Vietnamese compete this Sunday to determine the winner of the first Doozy Challenge. The best impression was made in the preliminary round by Frédéric Caudron, who has won his seven matches so far with an average 2.255. Thanh Luc Tran is also undefeated over seven matches with an average 1.724. Eddy Merckx lost three times in five matches in the preliminary rounds and achieved a score of 1.978. Quyet Chien Tran started with two losses against Thanh Luc Tran and Martin Horn, finishing with three wins and an average of 1.614.

Eddy Merckx's poor start in the first semi-final against Quyet Chien Tran means the Belgian has to chase hard from the stop. The Vietnamese player got off to a much better start, including a run of 12, leading Merckx b y 25-5 after the stoppage. Quyet Chien Tran sensed no threat, scored with short runs, was surprised by a few odd miscues, but outperformed Merckx until the end of the match: 50-23 in 21 innings.

The striking surprise afterward: how a big champion like Merckx could still be so desperately searching for feeling and form in this final match. And also: how a typically reserved Vietnamese could celebrate a victory over a major rival so exuberantly, even with a little dance.

The Vietnamese were better starters than the Belgians, as Thanh Luc Tran also took an early 14-2 lead against Frédéric Caudron. The second Belgian of this afternoon's match senses the danger quickly enough and comes back to 16-15 in 9. Tran continues to lead the fight for a while, until Caudron opens the attack with 11 and goes from 27-22 down to 33-27 ahead. The final stages remain alternating, but Caudron is the better finisher. He wins the match, rarely showing any signs of exaggerated joy, 50-42 in 28 innings.

The winner Quiet Chien Tran and the other final player Frédéric Caudron

Quyet Chien Tran shows happy with the trophy