Billiards: Genius Caudron returns to explode on home court?

The player nicknamed genius - Frederic Caudron will return to two major tournaments of the World Carom Billiards Federation (UMB) taking place right at home in Belgium, including the Antwerp World Cup and the 2025 World Championship.

In October, billiards fans around the world will enjoy exciting competitions at the Antwerp Billiards World Cup (October 6-12) and the World Championship (October 14-18), both taking place in Antwerp, Belgium. These two arenas bring together the world's top players. Among them, one of the players who has received the most attention is Frederic Caudron.

Caudron is privileged

According to the latest UMB rankings (the version that only counts points for World Cups and World Championships), Caudron is currently ranked 13th, so he has been given a special place in the main round (32 players) of the Antwerp Billiards World Cup 2025. Caudron is in Group D, where another veteran player, Eddy Merckx (also Belgian), will appear. The remaining two players in Group D will be determined after the qualifying round ends.

The World Championship is the most prestigious arena in the UMB tournament system, gathering 48 excellent players to compete. In particular, the reigning champion Cho Myung-woo (Korea) and the top 16 players on the world rankings (the version with points from national and continental tournaments) are automatically eligible to participate. In addition, players also participate according to the quota of member federations: Europe has 13 quotas, America has 8 quotas, Asia has 5 quotas, Africa and the Middle East have 3 quotas. In addition, the organizing committee will award 2 wildcards to players from the host federation (Belgium).

Caudron is one of the most successful players in the UMB arena.

PHOTO: SOOP

Notably, the two wildcard slots for the host are named Frederic Caudron and Ceulemens Bart. In the first round of the world championship, Caudron will face two Korean players, Kim Haeng-jik and Choi Wan-young, in group N. This is the first time the Belgian billiards genius has participated in the World Championship since returning to UMB in May 2024.

In the two consecutive tournaments taking place at home, the player nicknamed genius is expected to play explosively and once again step up to the top. The Belgian player's class is unquestionable. He is a legend of the world's 3-cushion carom, having won the World Cup billiards 21 times, and the World Championship 3 times in 1999, 2013 and 2017.

However, it has been nearly a year and a half since returning to his old home, Caudron has yet to win any championship title. Many World Cup billiards stages have passed, Caudron's best achievement was the runner-up position in Veghel - Netherlands in October 2024. In this stage, the Belgian player lost to Tran Quyet Chien in the final match.

Vietnamese players attend two tournaments in Belgium in October.

At the Antwerp Billiards World Cup 2025, Vietnam has 12 players competing including: Tran Quyet Chien, Tran Thanh Luc, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu, Dao Van Ly, Chiem Hong Thai, Bao Phuong Vinh, Le Thanh Tien, Nguyen Dinh Luan, Nguyen Van Tai, Nguyen Chi Long, Thon Viet Hoang Minh, Pham Quoc Thuan.

The 2025 World Championship arena has 5 Vietnamese representatives participating: Tran Quyet Chien, Tran Thanh Luc, Chiem Hong Thai, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu and Bao Phuong Vinh.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/billiards-thien-tai-caudron-tai-xuat-bung-no-tren-san-nha-185251008151925289.htm