SEOUL - The climax was overwhelming, the happiness after his victory intense and touching. The Vietnamese Quyet Chien Tran grabbed the golden trophy at the LGU + Cup in a thrilling final against Frédéric Caudron. The 34-year-old Tran jumped on a golden mountain after his triumph. For the main prize money, 61.000 euros, most of the people in Vietnam, month salary 200 euro, have to work around 25 years. The trophy in this tournament, which was played for the first time in the Hilton hotel in Seoul, slipped through his fingers once before, now he was on top of stage, one of Asia's stars at the billiard firmament. Tran received a total cheque of 65.500, included 3000 euro for the third place in his group and 1500 for the highest run of 14.
He is a tormentor for the world's best billiard player Frédéric Caudron, whom he defeated three times in six matches. In the LGU final, he did it again with a minimal score: 40-39 in 20 innings. Just like on the final day of the World Cup in Ho Chi Minh this year, where he beat Caudron 40-39 in the semi-finals and finished on top in a final fight with three Vietnamese and Caudron. The stage in the LGU Cup was Asian colored again: HaengJik Kim and Dong-Koong Kang flanked the finalists Tran and Caudron.
The diminutive Vietnamese, married and father of two children (Pham Thien Kim of 6, Pham Thien Y of 2) didn't steal his victory in this top event. The start was worrying, with a loss to Marco Zanetti (40-33 in 33), from then Tran rose to great heights, in the pre-rounds against Eddy Merckx (40-19 in 11), in the quarters against Murat Naci Coklu (40-26 in 15), in the semi-final against Dong-Koong Kang (40-37 in 23) and finally in the golden match against Caudron.
The Belgian, showing up in the best match of the tournament in the semi-final against HaengJik Kim (40-17 in 10 with a final run of 13), had a start with seven in the final, led halfway 24-18, but showed couldn't continue in that rhythm. Tran definitely returned into the match after a seven in the 17th inning (33-31), the final part started at 37-36, when Tran scored a three en missed his last, a renversé. Caudron replied with two and missed out by a hair in a bad position. The defense was flawless, but Tran, cold-blooded and accurate, scored his last with a world-class point. Under a thunderous applause from the stands, the Vietnamese crowned the work: 40-39.
Two years ago, Tran completely blocked in the final of this tournament against Korean Choong-Bok Lee. Now, the Vietnamese number 12 of the world ranking wrote his name n gold letters in the trophy. The apotheosis after the winning point was fantastic: cheering for minutes with a wonderful smile, the cue up in the air, stylishly posing in front of the cameras and four beautiful bows to the stands to thank the audience for their support. Quyet Chien Tran, already winner of the World Cup in Ho Chi Minh this year, storms the world top in the best year of his career.
The LGU Cup went to its climax on the final day with the quarterfinals in which Dani Sánchez and Dong-Koong Kang decided a thriller in the shootout after 40-40 in 18. Kang scored six times from the break, Sánchez missed after his second. Frédéric Caudron defeated Seo 40-31 in 14, HaengJik Kim beat Eddy Merckx to the finish (40-38 in 22) and Tran outplayed Coklu 40-26 in 15.
The top eight and the cash prizes:
1 Quyet Chien Tran 61.000 euros
2 Frédéric Caudron 30.000
3 and 4: HaengJik Kim and Dong-Koong Kang, 15.000
5 to 8: Murat Naci Coklu, Dani Sanchez, Hyon Min Seo, Eddy Merckx 7.500 euro.
Quyet Chien Tran, shaking hands with Caudron after his win
Thumbs up after the final win: Quyet Chien Tran on top of stage
Quyet Chien Tran, second great win in 2018
The final players, left to right Caudron, Tran, Kim and Kang
The final field for the ceremony
HaengJik Kim defeated Eddy Merckx in the quarters and then lost to Caudron in a world class match
Dong-Koong Kang beat Dani Sánchez and lost in the last four to Tran