Vietnamese players eliminated each other to enter the WPA finals

Although Duong Quoc Hoang was given a special privilege in the men's 10-ball singles event, he had a hard time playing the mixed doubles at the Box Billiards Mixed Doubles Open 2025.

Duong Quoc Hoang and Bui Xuan Vang - Photo: BOX

The first WPA Men's 10-Ball World Championship held in Vietnam has attracted the attention of billiards fans in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam is also the country with the largest number of registered athletes with 51 players. Their main goal is nothing less than winning the title right at their home stadium, Military Zone 7.

In addition to the main event of men's 10-ball pool with qualifying rounds from September 17 and final rounds from September 20, the WPA tournament also has two other parallel events: Poison Cues Saigon Women's 9-ball Open and Box Billiards Mixed Doubles Open.

Duong Quoc Hoang, Vietnam's top player, also known as Hoang "Sao", was given a special entry into the final of the men's 10-ball pool event but still played the mixed doubles qualifying round with female player Bui Xuan Vang. The pair Hoang "Sao" - Xuan Vang lost in the first match against Mario He - Chia Hua Chen with a score of 1-2 after 3 games.

The pressure was great for the pair Hoang "Sao" - Xuan Vang as they were expected to go deep in this event. With the "second chance" format for the losing pairs, the pair Hoang "Sao" - Xuan Vang regained their form when they won the "play-off" spot in the loser's bracket and won the right to continue. Both of them spectacularly defeated the pair Hiraguchi - Serradilla 2-0.

Most of the winners in the pair bracket were foreign players. Only Luong Duc Thien and Ton Nguyen Hue Tran made it here, but had to lose 1-2 to Mohammad Soufi and Annita Kanjaya.

The Vietnamese pairs that won in the losers bracket all won against their compatriots Nguyen Van Dang - Dinh Thi Thanh Nga, Nguyen Nhat Thanh - Nguyen Bich Tram, Pham Phuong Nam - Doan Thi Ngoc Le, Nguyen Anh Tuan - Tran Tu Tran.

The Vietnamese billiards pair had to eliminate each other early - Photo: BOX

Having a large number of home players is a big advantage for Vietnam to advance further into the next round, and the opportunity to get closer to the championship title in each event at the WPA Men's 10-Ball World Championship 2025.

The matches took place from 9am until late at night on September 17. Nearing September 18, the pair Yen Vi - Minh Tai were still competing in the "penalty shootout" with the winning pair Nhat Thanh - Bich Tram at the Military Zone 7 gymnasium.

In the 10-men pool qualifying round, many Vietnamese players performed impressively and won the right to continue in the winners' bracket of round 2 such as Phan Van Kien, Bui Van Huy, Trinh Van Binh, Nguyen Hoang Phong, and Dang Hoang Huy.

The results of the losers bracket where Vietnamese players met each other - Photo: BOX

The tournament is co-organized by Box Billiards, Predator and the Ho Chi Minh City Billiards & Snooker Federation (HBSF), taking place at Military Zone 7 Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City from September 17 to 28.

The total prize value of the event series is 425,000 USD (about 11.2 billion VND), of which the prize money for the 2025 Men's 10-Ball tournament alone is 250,000 USD (nearly 7 billion VND). The Men's 10-Ball World Champion will receive 70,000 USD (1.8 billion VND), the runner-up will receive 40,000 USD, and the two third-place players will receive 17,500 USD.

QUANG THINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/co-thu-viet-nam-loai-nhau-de-vao-vong-chung-ket-wpa-2025091811551154.htm