Vietnamese trailblazer Duong Quoc Hoang hopes that his groundbreaking Premier League Pool triumph will inspire a generation of players back home in his pool-obsessed country.
Duong, the world number 24 and a Reyes Cup star, defeated Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and Indonesian phenom Albert Januarta in the play-offs to land an elusive World Nineball Tour major in Florida, becoming the first player from Vietnam to achieve the feat.
The Ho Chi Minh City cueist topped the league standings and established himself as the title favourite heading into the semi-finals, and Duong delivered to seal the $25,000 top prize in the sunshine state.
“Right now, I feel extremely happy and deeply grateful,” Duong told Matchroom. “This was a very tough tournament with so many strong players and I had to fight for every single rack. There were difficult moments, but I kept believing in myself and stayed focused until the end.
“This victory is not only for me – it is for Vietnam, for Vietnamese billiards, and for everyone back home who has supported me. To stand here and represent my country on the international stage is one of the greatest honours of my career.”
Thousands of Vietnamese pool fans would have tuned in on Monday morning to witness their number one create history, perhaps drawing inspiration from Duong and realising that anything is possible in the process.
“I hope this win inspires young players in Vietnam to dream bigger and work harder,” Duong added. “We have a strong fighting spirit and great passion for this game. Today I’m proud to show the world what Vietnamese players are capable of.”
