Chiem Hong Thai excels, defeats Korean 'prodigy' to enter semi-finals

Vietnam has 3 players competing in the knockout round (16 players) of the Sharm el Sheikh Billiards World Cup 2024 taking place from this afternoon (December 6), namely Tran Quyet Chien, Tran Thanh Luc and Chiem Hong Thai. However, the two experienced players Quyet Chien and Thanh Luc lost. Meanwhile, the young player born in 1999, Chiem Hong Thai, played very well. Against the world's number 1 player Dick Jaspers, Hong Thai played bravely, made a spectacular sprint to come from behind to win 50-42.

Entering the quarter-finals on the evening of December 6, Chiem Hong Thai faced Cho Myung-woo. The Korean prodigy was the one who convincingly defeated Tran Thanh Luc in the round of 16.

Continuing to face a highly rated opponent and the reigning world champion, Chiem Hong Thai still showed confidence. The player born in 1999 entered the game at a fairly fast pace, scoring points regularly to take the lead. After the first 5 rounds, Thai led 13-5. It was not until the 8th round that Cho Myung-woo "counterattacked" with a series of 8 points, leading 13-16.

Billiards: Chiêm Hồng Thái thăng hoa, đánh bại 'thần đồng' Hàn Quốc để vào bán kết- Ảnh 1. — Chiem Hong Thai has entered the semi-finals for the second time at a World Cup billiards stage.

The Korean prodigy did not have the best scoring feeling in the quarterfinals. Chiem Hong Thai took advantage of the opportunity to widen the gap, leading 18-13, 22-13, before taking the match into the break with a score of 25-13, after 13 innings.

In the second half, Chiem Hong Thai started to slow down. But on the other side, Cho Myung-woo continued to play deadlocked and could not catch up with the Vietnamese player. The player born in 1999 accelerated in the 24th turn, when he hit a series of 8 to take the lead 41-18.

Billiards: Chiêm Hồng Thái thăng hoa, đánh bại 'thần đồng' Hàn Quốc để vào bán kết- Ảnh 2. — Cho Myung-woo doesn't have the best scoring feeling in the quarterfinals

In the end, Chiem Hong Thai won convincingly against Cho Myung-woo with a score of 50-28, after 31 rounds.

Chiem Hong Thai will be in the semi-finals of the Sharm el Sheikh Billiards World Cup 2024, facing 13-time World Cup champion Eddy Merckx. The semi-final match will take place from the afternoon of December 7.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/billiards-chiem-hong-thai-thang-hoa-danh-bai-than-dong-han-quoc-de-vao-ban-ket-185241206225755965.htm