The 2025 Billiards World Cup in Bogota, which took place from February 24 to March 3 in Colombia, was the first of seven World Cup tournaments organized by the World Billiards Federation in 2025. The tournament saw the participation of 149 players, with 132 competing in the qualifying rounds to select 15 players for the main event, alongside the top 14 players in the world who were seeded, plus 3 players who received wild cards.
Tran Thanh Luc advanced from the group stage after drawing with Karakurt (Turkey), defeating Kang Ja In (South Korea) 40-34, and Zanetti (Italy) 40-28. He then went on to beat Forthomme (Belgium) 50-31 in the knockout round and defeated the veteran Eddy Merckx 50-25 in the quarterfinals.
On March 3, Tran Thanh Luc won against the world number 1, Dick Jaspers (Netherlands), 50-37 in the semifinals. Afterward, Thanh Luc led the former 2022 World Champion, Tayfun Tasdemir (Turkey), from start to finish, ultimately winning 50-47, marking his first World Cup victory in his career.
Tran Thanh Luc was born in 1990 in Phu Giao (Binh Duong). He began playing billiards after completing his military service in 2011. From local tournaments, he gradually advanced to semi-professional and professional competitions, joining the Ho Chi Minh City Billiards team in 2019.
With this World Cup championship, Tran Thanh Luc earned 80 ranking points, rising from 11th to 5th in the world. This victory further solidifies Vietnam's strength in the global billiards arena, with 4 championships in the last 8 World Cup tournaments.
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