Pool player Duong Quoc Hoang defeated former European champion Konrad Juszczyszyn 10-9 to enter the round of 16 of the Spanish Open 9-ball pool tournament.
Quoc Hoang and Nguyen Anh Tuan are the two Vietnamese representatives who passed the double qualifying round to enter the knockout round of 64 players. In the round of 32, Anh Tuan stopped after losing to Marc Bijsterbosch 6-10, while Quoc Hoang advanced thanks to a 10-9 victory over world number 11 Max Lechner.
Duong Quoc Hoang at the Spanish Open 9-ball pool tournament on June 23, 2023. Photo: Matchroom
Quoc Hoang’s next match was even more dramatic, when he met world number five Juszczyszyn. The two players were neck and neck, with neither leading by more than a point, until the Vietnamese representative took the lead 8-6. However, Juszczyszyn showed the mettle of a 2018 European champion, winning the next three games in a row to lead 9-8.
In the 18th game, the Polish player jumped the ball too hard and made a mistake, allowing Quoc Hoang to place the cue ball in a favorable position. But at the eight ball, the number one Vietnamese player made a mistake, although the ball position after that was not favorable enough for his opponent to finish. Juszczyszyn ran the ball, the cue ball and the eight ball were far apart with a narrow angle. However, Quoc Hoang finished the shot and put the eight ball into the pocket with a long, balanced shot, receiving applause from the audience. He did not miss the opportunity to put the nine ball into the pocket, tying the score at 9-9.
In the deciding game, Quoc Hoang broke and pocketed the ball continuously. But when he got a favorable seven, he hit the hole. Juszczyszyn hit the seven, but pulled the cue ball too hard, losing the favorable finishing angle, making him shake his head in disappointment. The Polish player still tried to slash the eight to the corner pocket but missed the hole. The eight was right at the door of the pocket, and Juszczyszyn returned to his seat, continuously punching one hand into the other.
The final thrilling game between Quoc Hoang and Juszczyszyn.
Of course, Quoc Hoang did not miss the favorable situation to win 10-9 and enter the round of 16 with 16 players. He will play with 22-year-old talent Sanjin Pehlivanovic, also the world's number seven player, on June 24.
"I still feel excited," Quoc Hoang said after the match. "I will never forget this match and the pressure in it. Today, I feel very lucky."
The Spanish Open brings together most of the world's Top 100 players, taking place from June 20 to June 25 in the city of Lugo, Spain. The champion will receive a prize of 30,000 USD, and Quoc Hoang has guaranteed to receive at least 4,000 USD.
Xuan Binh
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