Trần Quyết Chiến got eliminated, yet four Vietnamese cueists secured spots in the World Cup knockout round.

The 2026 Ho Chi Minh City World Cup 3-Cushion Carom Billiards tournament saw a day full of emotions at the Nguyen Du Stadium, as four Vietnamese billiards players qualified for the knockout rounds. Nevertheless, the home country's leading player, Trần Quyết Chiến, was forced to exit early, causing a sense of disappointment among supporters.

In Group F,Quyết Chiếnentered the decisive match against Jose Juan Garcia (Colombia) under the pressure of having to win to compete for the next round ticket.

Despite playing hard and fiercely chasing throughout the match, the Vietnamese player suffered a narrow 38-40 defeat after 26 innings. The loss left him in third place in the group with 2 points, officially eliminating him.

The early exit of Quyết Chiến was a major surprise, as he was considered the host's top hope for this year's tournament.

Given that the home fans expected an explosive journey from Vietnam's number one player, this outcome was undoubtedly a significant shock. The remaining ticket in Group F went to Kim Do Hyeon of South Korea.

In contrast to the sadness of Quyết Chiếnwas the impressive performance of Trần Thanh Lực. The player born in 1990 became the brightest spot of Vietnamese billiards by winning Group F with 5 points after 2 wins and 1 draw.

In the final match, Thanh Lực dominated Asian U22 champion Kim Do Hyeon with a score of 40-14 after only 18 innings. His ability to control the game and consistent form helped him advance directly to the round of 16 as group leader.

In Group C, Nguyễn Trần Thanh Tự continued to show exceptional form. This player defeated Peter Ceulemans (Belgium) with a decisive 40-15 score after only 11 innings, including a classy 17-point series.

Thanh Tự won all three group matches, including a notable victory over world No. 2 star Eddy Merckx. He topped the group with an average scoring efficiency of up to 2.79 points per inning, one of the highest in the tournament.

Chiêm Hồng Thái also booked his place in the knockout round after a 40-26 victory over Kang Ja In in the decisive match. The Vietnamese player played solidly, making effective use of opportunities to convincingly achieve his goal of advancing.

Meanwhile, in Group A, Bao Phương Vinh continued to assert the class of the reigning Asian runner-up by overcoming Jeong Sung II (South Korea) with a 40-22 score after 29 innings to secure a spot in the top 16.

The 2026 Ho Chi Minh City World Cup 3-Cushion Carom Billiardsstarted on May 22 with the participation of 32 top world players. Although Quyết Chiến disappointed by being eliminated early, the fact that up to four representatives made it to the knockout round still demonstrates the significant competitiveness of Vietnamese billiards on home soil.