Chiem Hong Thai secured his spot in the final of the 3-cushion carom billiards World Cup with a dramatic 50-46 comeback victory over world number two Eddy Merckx. The semi-final, held on the afternoon of 24/5 at Nguyen Du Arena in TP HCM, mirrored Hong Thai's previous quarter-final win where he also defeated former world number one Dick Jaspers by the same score.

The match began with Merckx dominating, establishing a significant 25-6 lead after 14 innings. Following a short break, the home player, Hong Thai, adopted a more cautious approach, yet Merckx continued to accumulate points. The contest then became a tight struggle, with both players vying for control.

Merckx further extended his lead to 33-12 before Hong Thai launched a crucial 10-point run, narrowing the gap to 22-33. However, Merckx soon responded with a 5-point series, pushing the score to 41-26, maintaining a comfortable lead.

Chiem Hong Thai celebrates his semi-final victory over Eddy Merckx at the 3-cushion carom billiards World Cup on the afternoon of 24/5 at Nguyen Du Arena, TP HCM. Photo: Phong Le

The turning point came in the 21st inning when Hong Thai ignited a remarkable 14-point streak, reducing Merckx's lead to a single point at 40-41. Fueled by the enthusiastic support of the home crowd, Hong Thai then made a 6-point run, bringing him within reach of victory and overtaking Merckx for the first time in the match.

Having held a substantial lead, Merckx appeared psychologically affected as his opponent surged ahead. He was frequently seen clutching his head and covering his ears, visibly frustrated by the loud cheers from the Vietnamese spectators. At one point, he requested a timeout from the referee due to the overwhelming crowd noise. As Hong Thai led 49-44, Merckx could only manage to score hai points before missing his final shot.

Riding the momentum, Hong Thai sealed the match with a smooth final shot, winning 50-46 after 25 innings. He concluded with an impressive average score of 2,000, surpassing Merckx's 1,840. The 27-year-old player proudly raised his cue in celebration before the cheering home crowd, while a visibly frustrated Merckx quietly exited the arena after his unexpected defeat.

This achievement marks Hong Thai's first time reaching a 3-cushion carom billiards World Cup final, following hai previous semi-final losses in Portugal in 2023 and Egypt in 2024. He will face the winner of the second semi-final between Frederic Caudron and Marco Zanetti, which is scheduled for 14h. The final match will take place at 17h30 on the same day.

TP HCM serves as the thu hai stop of this year's 3-cushion carom billiards World Cup series, following the inaugural event in Bogota (Colombia). Hong Thai's journey to the final began in the qualifying rounds, where he initially lost to JJ Garcia 34-40 but then recovered to defeat Turgay Orak 40-19. In the group stage, he secured victories against Nguyen Van Tri 40-14, drew with Jaspers 40-40, and overcame Kang Ja-in 40-26. His strong performance continued in the round of 1/8, where he eliminated Bao Phuong Vinh 50-47, before his notable win against Jaspers once more.

Born in 1999 in Can Tho, Hong Thai is recognized as the youngest player among Vietnam's leading billiards talents. He currently holds the 22nd position in the world rankings and is ranked 4th in Vietnam, trailing only Tran Thanh Luc, Tran Quyet Chien, and Phuong Vinh. In this tournament, Thanh Luc was defeated by Jaspers in the round of 1/8, while Quyet Chien exited the competition in the group stage.