BOGOTÁ - Vietnamese billiards has conquered the world of three-cushion in just a few years and celebrated the victory of 40-year-old Quyet Chien Tran this Sunday. The emerging Asian billiards country's best player was surrounded by his enthusiastic countrymen and friends after the end of the Bogotá World Cup, following his victory in the final against Sameh Shidhom (50-44 in 31 innings). They cherished the new world No 2 as an exponent of the generation. On the top stage, Sunday in the Colombian capital, Quyet Chien Tran was joined by Sameh Sidhom (36), Dutchman Glenn Hofman (34) and 46-year-old Spanish Colombian-born Robinson Morales. The older generation with top ten players like Dick Jaspers, Torbjörn Blomdahl, Marco Zanetti, Eddy Merckx, Tayfun Tasdemir, as well as Myung Woo Cho (world number one) and world champion Phuong Vinh Bao were missing out the spots on the podium. That didn’t happen in World Cup history for many years. Quyet Chien Tran, the rising star, owed the win primarily to the curious match against Tasdemir, who missed a curious match ball in the first round of knockouts and saw Tran finish the match.
The little Vietnamese, father of two daughters, then already celebrated his success exuberantly with the few thousand billiard fans in the stands. Tran also beat Turk Tolgahan Kiraz in the quarter-finals 50-33 in 34, Glenn Hofman in the semi-finals 50-35 in 27 and finally Egyptian Sameh Sidhom, who played a superb tournament, but again failed to win a World Cup after two lost finals in Porto and Las Vegas. Quyet Chien Tran gives the start of the World Cup year for his country the glory it deserves. The Vietnamese have the world champion in their ranks, are hosting the second, next World Cup in Ho Chi Minh (May 20-26) and this year's World three cushion Championship in Binh Thuan (September 25-29) as well. Four players from the country are among the best 25 in the world rankings and, in addition, other well-known Vietnamese are shining in the PBA tour. There, Nguyen Quoc Nguyen and Dinh Nai Ngo, two former UMB players, were in the semi-finals of a tournament won by Murat Naci Coklu this weekend.
Quyet Chien Tran, with his three World Cup victories, is the most purified of his generation. Coming from a small town in the southern province of Ca Mau, from a poor family, the wonderful, technical player with his flawless stroke lives up to his birth name. Quyet Chien Tran, translated into English, means ’Fight and win’. A famous quote from Tran two years ago: ''I want to fight to win everywhere, although in my normal life I am a friendly and nice person.'' And also from Tran: ''Billiards is an art, an intellectual sport, which you should play with your heart and with passion.''
He showed these qualities in the final stage of the World Cup in Bogotá, which so beautifully displayed the ambiance among the Colombian spectators. Quyet Chien Tran captured hearts, as did Sameh Sihom, the other finalist. But certainly also Robinson Morales as a child of the country and Glenn Hofman, married to a Colombian billiard star and thus playing in his second homeland.
Quyet Chien Tran started poorly in the final against Sidhom: trailing 11-6 after eight innings. Twice then, Tran opened the attack furiously, with 7 in the 9th inning and 12 in the 17th, in which Sidhom had taken a 29-19 lead with 7. The closing stages were a battle of changing chances, in which Tran ran out to victory with 5 and 6. The Vietnamese, on his way to the overall win, held World Cup revelation Glenn Hofman under control in the semi-final with a better start and a big lead (19-6 in 5, 32-12 in 12, 41-14 in 19). The Dutchman had chances to come back when Tran had some minor innings, but Hofman, with a 9 and 5, could not live up to his stunning performances from earlier in this World Cup: 50-35 in 27.
Robinson Morales, coming from the preliminary rounds with 2,222, winner among others against Gwendal Maréchal, Salman and Seo, followed Sameh Sidhom in the semi-final to 29-28. When the Egyptian scored two times 5, Morales was unable to counter. The Spanish globetrotter was felled by tension and lost 50-34 in 30.
The World Cup was finally back in Colombia, the crazy billiard country with between 1,000 and 2,000 spectators in the stands at times. Those fans sympathised with the Colombians and, in the final stages, with Robinson Morales and Glenn Hofman with much cheering and encouragement. World champions such as Blomdahl, Jaspers, Zanetti, Merckx and Tasdemir were constantly bombarded by fans all around with questions and asked for pictures with the greats of three cushion. It was a pleasant reunion with the world where three-cushion is immensely popular.
Apart from Quyet Chien Tran's victory and the podium finishes of Sameh Sidhom, Glenn Hofman and Robinson Morales, it was worth mentioning Dick Jaspers' high average (2.352) and Tolgahan Kiraz's highest run (17). Myung Woo Cho remains the world ranking leader ahead of Quyet Chien Tran and Dick Jaspers.
The glorious winner Quyet Chien Tran
The Vietnamese crowd celebrating Tran's win
Sameh Sidhom, for third time in a World Cup final, runner-up all the time
Glenn Hofman, great performance in his second home land
The final ranking in Bogotá World Cup
- Quyet Chien Tran 14-1.693-12
- Sameh Sidhom 10-1.598-11
- Glenn Hofman 8-1.562-13
- Robinson Morales 8-1.473-14
- Dick Jaspers 8-2.352-14
- Chang Hoon Seo 8-1.373-12
- Tolgahan Kiraz 6-1.364-17
- Bong Joo Hwang 4-1.428-11
- Jun Tae Kim 6-1.656-12
- Gökhan Salman 6-1.355-11
- Thanh Luc Tran 5-1.445-10
- Eddy Merckx 5-1.422-8
- Myeong Jong Cha 4-1.242-9
- Torbjörn Blomdahl 4-1.230-10
- Tayfun Tasdemir 3-1.879-10
- Nikos Polychronopoulos 2-1.520-9
The world ranking:
- Myung Woo Cho 435
- Quyet Chien Tran 389
- Dick Jaspers 341
- Marco Zanetti 337
- Sameh Sidhom 310
- Eddy Merckx 293
- Tayfun Tasdemir 273
- Phuong Vinh Bao 273
- Torbjörn Blomdahl 270
- Jun Tae Kim 264
- Martin Horn 244
- Haeng Jik Kim 232
- Jérémy Bury 188
- Jung Han Heo 163
- Tolgahan Kiraz 163
- Berkay Karakurt 163
- Nikos Polychronopoulos 158
- Hong Chiem Thai 149
- Pedro Piedrabuena 141
- Peter Ceulemans 140
- Robinson Morales 133