Vietnam's top-ranked billiards player, Tran Quyet Chien, staged a remarkable comeback, emerging victorious in the final match against his familiar rival Sidhom, securing the championship title of the Bogota World Cup 3-Cushion 2024 that concluded at 8 a.m. today in Colombia.
Tran Quyet Chien encountered Glenn Hofman in the semifinals at 1:30 a.m. on March 4 (Vietnam time). Facing an opponent with a lower world ranking, Tran Quyet Chien swiftly gained the upper hand after just six turns. With his fluid technique, Tran Quyet Chien executed four impressive series of 10, 5, 4, and 3 points, establishing a commanding lead with a score of 22/8. His advantage grew further after the 15th turn, widening the point gap significantly to 39/12.
Despite Glenn Hofman's impressive series of 9, 5, and 4 points in the latter part of the match, he could not alter the course of the game. Ultimately, Tran Quyet Chien clinched the victory with a decisive lead of 50-35.
In the showdown held at 6 a.m. today, Tran Quyet Chien faced off against his Egyptian rival Sameh Sidhom, currently ranked 8th in the world. This rematch echoed the final match of the Porto World Cup 3-Cushion 2023, where Tran Quyet Chien dominated to secure an effortless victory with a score of 50-30.
Clashing again in this morning's final, the game unfolded grippingly as both players continuously surpassed each other. Starting strong, Sidhom initiated a 5-point series to gain an early advantage. Moreover, the Egyptian player extended the lead with a 7-point series in the 17th turn, widening the gap to 29/19 and leading the match into halftime.
As the match resumed, Tran Quyet Chien brilliantly unleashed a 12-point series, pulling ahead to reclaim the lead at 31/29. Without delay, Sidhom countered with two strong point series (5 and 4), extending the gap to 5 points with a score of 40/35.
As a bold competitor known for his fighting spirit, Tran Quyet Chien had repeatedly clinched victories from behind. Once again, he demonstrated his resilience by securing impressive series of 6 and 5 points in the remaining turns, successfully completing a remarkable comeback to win the match with a final score of 50-44.
With this victory at the Bogota World Cup 3-Cushion 2024, Tran Quyet Chien claimed his third World Cup championship title, following his previous wins at the Ho Chi Minh City World Cup 3-Cushion 2018 and the Porto World Cup 3-Cushion 2023. With the 80 ranking points earned, Tran Quyet Chien will likely ascend from fifth to second place in the world rankings.
