Tran Thanh Luc entered the game quite cautiously but quickly controlled the game. After the de-pa round only scored 1 point, the player born in 1990 created a breakthrough with a series of 5 points in the 3rd round to take a 6-1 lead. In the 5th round, he continued to score 5 more points, increasing the gap to 14-8.
From the 7th set to the 19th set, the match was tight when Martin Horn tried to chase and equalize the score 23-23. However, a turning point appeared in the 20th set when Tran Thanh Luc made a big 11-point series, creating a significant advantage of 34-23 before halftime.
In the second quarter, the German player no longer maintained the pressure as before. The 5-point series in the 21st set was Martin Horn's last significant highlight in his effort to narrow the gap to 29-35. After that, Tran Thanh Luc continued to play solidly, adding a 5-point series in the 23rd set before closing the match with a 50-33 victory after 27 sets.
In the remaining semi-final, young player Cho Myung-woo defeated Tasdemir Tayfun with a score of 50-26 after only 20 turns, thereby becoming Tran Thanh Luc's opponent in the final.
Participating in the final match helps Tran Thanh Luc stand before the opportunity to successfully defend the Bogota World Cup championship - the title he once won at this very location in early 2025. This is also a milestone showing the stability and competitive spirit of the leading Vietnamese 3-cushion billiards player in the world arena.
