Duong Quoc Hoang continued to bring an impressive performance at the Vice City Classic 2026 billiards tournament when he defeated world No. 1 Joshua Filler (Germany) in the 32nd round.
The draw brings the Vietnamese representative to face the opponent considered the leading candidate for the championship. Joshua Filler is in very high form in 2026 after winning the UK Open, so he is considered the most difficult challenge for any player.
The match took place as predicted when Filler entered the game strongly. The German player quickly created a 4-0 gap and then widened it to 8-3, causing Duong Quoc Hoang to fall into a chasing position.
However, the bravery of the Vietnamese player was shown at the right time. Duong Quoc Hoang played sublimely, continuously winning 7 games to reverse the situation and take a 10-8 lead, approaching victory.
In the 19th set, although Duong Quoc Hoang performed a very difficult defensive move with ball number 3, Joshua Filler still found a ball break to narrow the gap to 9-10. Immediately after that, the German player had an accurate ball number 2 shot, completely opening the ball before equalizing the score 10-10, bringing the match to the decisive set.
In the tense hill-hill set, luck also came to the Vietnamese representative when ball number 7 created a favorable ball situation. Duong Quoc Hoang took advantage of the opportunity, accurately handled the remaining balls to close the spectacular comeback with a 11-10 victory.
This result helps Duong Quoc Hoang win a ticket to the round of 16 for the strongest player of Vice City Classic 2026. At the same time, he continues to show confidence every time he faces Joshua Filler, after defeating the German player at the 10 Ball World Championship in 2025.
The victory over one of the best players in the world is also an affirmation of the progress of Vietnamese billiards in the international arena.
