Pool

Bao Phương Vinh and teammate Trần Quyết Chiến secure silver of the 37th World Championship National Teams 3-Cushion 2025 which closes on March 16 in Viersen, Germany. Photo of BILLIARD1

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam failed to defend its title after a loss in the final of the 37th World Championship National Teams 3-Cushion 2025 on March 16 in Viersen, Germany.

Four-times World Cup winner Trần Quyết Chiến and former world champion Bao Phương Vinh made up the favourite pair in the tournament. They defeated powerful rivals Belgium in the semi-finals to play off against world-classed rival the Netherlands, made up of world number one Dick Jaspers and number 28 Jean Paul de Bruijn in the gold-medal match.

In the first match, Chiến faced off against Jaspers, a familiar opponent in recent years.

Jaspers started with a nine-point series on his first turn, while Chiến struggled to find his rhythm and trailed 9-20 by half time.

Vietnamese pair (left) and two top-three teams on the victory podium of the 37th World Championship National Teams 3-Cushion 2025. Photo of UMB

The Vietnamese champion staged a remarkable comeback with an 11-point series, taking the lead 22-21 for the first time.

Despite holding a 33-30 advantage in the 19th inning, Chiến missed a key scoring opportunity, allowing Jaspers to mount a comeback with a nine-point run, eventually losing 38-40 after 21 innings.

In the second match, Vinh was defeated 34-40 by Jean Paul De Bruijn after 28 innings. It was the first loss of the Vietnamese player in this tournament.

With both Vietnamese players falling short, the Netherlands claimed their fourth championship title (1998, 1999, 2016 and 2025), with Jaspers being a key player in all four victories. Meanwhile the title holder of 2024 will have to wait for a repeat.

With the two plyers both born in 1965, de Bruijn and Jaspers grew up in the sport together, as free-game and balkline playing juniors.

Jaspers went on to put a big mark on the 3-cushion game - proving without any doubt he is one of the all-time greats.

De Bruijn excelled in 1-cushion even more than 3-cushion. He and Frédéric Caudron are on a level of their own in that tough discipline. JP has had the inexplicable 'bad day at the office' from time to time in his career, but not so this week in Viersen, when he proved himself to be solid as a rock.

In addition to the silver, Việt Nam was the best team average in Viersen with 1.642 points. Meanwhile the event’s high run was made by France’s Jeremy Bury with 15.

Next event on the UMB calendar is the World Cup in HCM City, from May 19-25. VNS