On the evening of July 15, billiard player Luong Duc Thien won the men's 9-ball pool championship at the 2026 Asian Billiard Championship after a 11-7 victory over Wu Kun Lin of Taiwan (China) in the final match held at Ho Xuan Huong Gymnasium (HCMC).
Entering the final match of the tournament, Luong Duc Thien continued to maintain the impressive form he had shown since the beginning of the tournament. The player born in 1992 played solidly, controlled the game well and effectively utilized the opponent's mistakes to create an advantage.
Against Wu Kun Lin - an experienced player from Taiwan (China), the representative of Vietnam maintained stability at decisive moments. Accurate shots and reasonable maneuverability helped Luong Duc Thien gradually create a gap before closing the match with a 11-7 victory.
This result helped Luong Duc Thien win the Asian men's 9-ball pool championship for the first time, and also brought another memorable mark for Vietnamese billiards in the international arena.
Previously in the semi-finals, Luong Duc Thien caused a big surprise when defeating Ko Ping Chung of Taiwan (China) with a score of 10-4. Ko Ping Chung is one of the world's leading pool players, has been world champion many times, holds the No. 1 position in the world rankings and entered the tournament as the defending world 10 ball pool champion.
In this match, Luong Duc Thien played with full bravery when winning many consecutive sets to overwhelm his opponent and win the right to enter the final.
Previously, the Vietnamese representative also defeated Alexis Ferrer (Philippines) with a score of 10-7 in the quarterfinals after an impressive comeback.
The title at the 2026 Asian Billiards Championship continues to affirm the progress of Vietnamese billiards in the pool event, and is also a worthy reward for Luong Duc Thien's stable performance and competitive spirit throughout the tournament.
