Vietnamese cueist Bao Phuong Vinh has failed to defeat veteran Turkish three-cushion carom player Tasdemir Tayfun in in the semifinals of the World Cup Billiards Antwerp 2025, securing the bronze medal. (Photo: World Cup Billiards)
It was a great challenge for the Vietnamese cueist, as Tayfun holds three World Cup titles and a 2022 World Championship, while Vinh, the 2023 World Champion, has yet to win a World Cup title.
Vinh opened the match but scored only one point, allowing Tayfun to take an early 5-1 lead after three innings. He then staged a comeback with a 6-point run to lead 7-5, but Tayfun regained the edge, leading 9-7 after five innings.
The match remained tight until a pivotal moment in the 10th inning, when Vinh made a simple mistake. Tayfun capitalised with an 18-point run, taking a commanding 32-13 lead into the break.
In the second half, Tayfun’s scoring slowed, giving Vinh opportunities to close the gap. Despite his efforts, the Vietnamese player could not catch up, losing 40-50 after 26 innings.
With this result, Vinh claimed the bronze medal, earning EUR6,000. The tournament also highlighted Vinh’s earlier achievement of a 25-point run and a perfect 10,000 scoring average, setting a new world record.
Vinh’s best previous World Cup finish is the runner-up at the World Cup Billiard Ankara 2024 in Turkey.
