Vietnam's top pool player defeats former world number one in Reyes Cup

Updated: 16:20, 16/10/2024

Vietnam's top pool player Duong Quoc Hoang triumphed over former world number one Eklent Kaci and helped Asia take the lead over Europe after the first day of the 2024 Reyes Cup in Manila.

Hoang faced Kaci in the third match of the tournament on Tuesday. Kaci, 25, a two-time world 10-ball champion, and 2024 9-ball championship finalist, displayed his usual confidence, even in challenging situations, opting for a risky style of play.

Duong Quoc Hoang after winning Eklent Kaci at the Reyes Cup 2024 in Manila, Philippines, on Oct. 15, 2024.

This approach allowed Kaci to make impressive shots and win the first game. However, this playing style led to a mistake in the second game, allowing Hoang to equalize.

Hoang, 37, who has fewer international accolades compared to his opponent, demonstrated his skill as Vietnam's top player. In the third game, he delivered a strong break and forced Kaci into a difficult position on ball number 3, leading to an opening for Hoang to finish and take a 2-1 lead. After Kaci leveled the score at 3-3, Hoang cleared the table following a successful break, bringing him closer to victory.

Reyes Cup uses a rotating break format, allowing Kaci to break in the eighth game. However, luck was not on his side when the cue ball followed the number 1 ball into the pocket, giving Hoang a ball placement. The Vietnamese player capitalized on this opportunity to secure a 5-3 win, giving Team Asia a 2-1 lead at that point.

Hoang celebrated his victory by raising his cue stick in front of an enthusiastic crowd in Manila, looking relief after having missed a crucial shot in the earlier team match, which allowed Team Europe to take a 1-0 lead.

In another team matche, Ko Pin-yi (Taiwan) and Aloysius Yapp (Singapore) defeated Spanish duo Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and David Alcaide. Europe evened the score at 2-2 after Jayson Shaw and Mickey Krause overcame the Filipino pair Johann Chua and Carlo Biado 5-3. In the final match of the day, Yapp edged Shaw 5-4 to give Asia a 3-2 lead.

The 2024 Reyes Cup will run from Oct. 15 to 18, featuring 20 matches, each with a maximum of nine games. A team can earn one point for winning five games and the first team to reach 11 points will be crowned champion. Each day of competition begins at 6:30 p.m. and runs until 11:00 p.m. (Hanoi time).