Vietnamese billiards receives unexpected hope at the World Cup

The 2026 TP.HCM World Cup 3-Cushion Carom Billiards is generating very encouraging news for host Vietnam, with four local players reaching the round of 16 knockout stage on May 23 at Nguyen Du Stadium.

After major upsets in the group stage, especially the elimination of top hope Tran Quyet Chien, the chance to create a surprise forVietnamese billiardson home soil has never been more apparent.

The most notable point is that Vietnam is guaranteed at least one representative in the quarterfinals, as Chiem Hong Thai will faceBao Phuong Vinhin the round of 16. This is an exciting all-Vietnamese matchup between two players in strong form.

Bao Phuong Vinh, a former world champion and current Asian runner-up, shows consistency with his experienced style of play and excellent control of the game.

Meanwhile, Chiem Hong Thai is a player who has shone from the qualifying rounds with high scoring efficiency and extremely high spirits.

Having oneVietnamese playercertainly advancing to the quarterfinals is a positive sign, especially given that this year's tournament gathers many top world stars. This is also a rare occasion where Vietnamese billiards shows significant depth in the knockout stage of a World Cup on home soil.

In the other matches, the challenges for Vietnamese players will be much tougher. Tran Thanh Luc, the most impressive player in the group stage, will take on Dutch legend Dick Jaspers, currently ranked 3rd in the world.

Thanh Luc has just had an extremely convincing run with stable scoring and solid play. However, Dick Jaspers remains a giant of world 3-cushion carom with superior composure and experience.

Nevertheless, experts still believe Thanh Luc can cause an upset if he maintains his group-stage form. On home ground, the Vietnamese player is showing great confidence and excellent cue feel.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu will face Kim Do Hyeon, the reigning Asian junior champion from South Korea. This is considered a balanced match but full of unpredictability.

Thanh Tu currently has one of the highest scoring efficiencies in the tournament after the group stage, especially with an impressive victory over superstar Eddy Merckx. However, Kim Do Hyeon is seen as a tough "nemesis" for manyVietnamese playersin recent times, thanks to his fast-paced style and ability to explode in big series.

According to the schedule on May 23, the round of 16 matches will take place at 12:00 and 14:30. The two quarterfinal matches are scheduled for 17:00 and 19:30 on the same day.