Pool 

Dương Quốc Hoàng is one of two Vietnamese cueists have automatic slots in the final of the 2025 Predator WPA World 10-Ball Men’s Championship on September 20-28 in HCM City,  Photo congluan.vn

HCM CITY — Vietnamese cue ace Dương Quốc Hoàng is chalking up for a shot at glory as he heads the home charge at the 2025 Predator WPA World 10-Ball Men’s Championship, to be held in HCM City from September 20 to 28.

The four-time World Cup winner will compete directly in the main draw alongside compatriot Phạm Phương Nam, while 51 other Vietnamese hopefuls, including top national talents Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, Bùi Trường An, Lường Đức Thiện, Đặng Thành Kiên, Đỗ Hoàng Quân and Lương Chí Dũng, battle it out in the qualification rounds from September 17 to 19.

The championship brings together a field of 96 cueists chasing a lucrative total purse of US$250,000, with the winner set to pocket $70,000. The runner-up will take home $40,000, while third place earns $17,500.

The tournament opens with a double-elimination format up to the last 32, featuring best-of-three sets and a race to four. From there, players enter a single-elimination stage with best-of-five sets. If the final set ends 3-3, a shootout – following the standard Pro Billiard Series protocol – will decide the winner.

Reigning champion and top seed Carlo Biado of the Philippines returns to defend his title, with a strong international line-up that includes American stars Fedor Gorst and Shane Van Boening, Germany’s Joshua Filler, Albania’s Eklent Kaçi and the Ko brothers, Pin Yi and Ping Chung, from Chinese Taipei.

This marks the first time Việt Nam has hosted the prestigious world championship, making it only the third country to do so after the Philippines and the United States – both giants of the sport.

Alongside the men’s 10-ball showdown, HCM City will also stage the Poison Cues Saigon Women’s 9-Ball Open and the Box Billiards Mixed Doubles Open, offering an additional prize pot of $175,000. VNS