"Even I can see it sometimes" — The man with two faces, Q. Nguyen, writes history as the first Vietnamese player to win twice [PBA Tour]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

"Vietnam's powerhouse" Nguyen Quoc Nguyen (44, Hana Card) has reached the top of the Pro Billiards (PBA) rankings for the second time in his career. This is a first for a Vietnamese-born player.

Q. Nguyen lifted the trophy after defeating David Martinez (Spain, Crown Hite) with a set score of 4-1 (15-10, 15-14, 15-9, 4-15, 15-7) in the final of the "Crown Hite PBA-LPBA Championship," the fourth tour of the 2026-2027 Pro Billiards season, held on the 12th at the "Goyang KINTEX PBA Stadium" in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

Q. Nguyen claimed his second career title 252 days (8 months and 10 days) after reaching the top by defeating Daniel Sanchez (Spain, Welcome Savings Bank) at the ninth tour of the 2025-2026 season (Welcome Savings Bank Championship).

Following Nguyen Chan Thanh Tao's (Vietnam) victory at the previous third tour (S&Y Championship), Q. Nguyen's win in this tour marks two consecutive titles for Vietnamese players, continuing the Vietnam storm on the PBA stage.

Martinez, who boasts eight career titles, attempted to become the first PBA player to win nine times but was pushed aside by Q. Nguyen, leaving the achievement of a major record for another opportunity. The "Welcome Top Ranking" (4 million won), awarded to the player with the highest average in a single match at the tournament, went to Kang Ui-ju-ga (수상), who recorded an average of 2.813 against Rupi Chenet (Turkey, High1 Resort) in the round of 128.

Q. Nguyen led the early part of the match. After winning the first set 15-10 in 11 innings, Q. Nguyen extended his lead to 10-3 in the second set by scoring a high run of 10 points in the second inning. Martinez turned the tables to 14-10 with consecutive scores of 1-6-4 starting from the third inning, but Q. Nguyen added 3 points in the sixth inning to close the gap to 13-14, then succeeded in a lucky bank shot to secure a comeback victory with a score of 15-14. The set score stood at 2-0 in his favor.

Riding the momentum, Q. Nguyen also led 2-0 in the third set and extended his lead to 10-0 by scoring a high run of 8 points in the second inning. Although Martinez's pursuit was not easy, Q. Nguyen withstood the pressure and won 15-9 (7 innings), leaving only one set away from victory.

Martinez did not back down easily. After extending his lead to 9-3 with consecutive scores of 2-1-3-3 starting from the first inning, Martinez succeeded in consecutive scores of 4-2 from the sixth inning to win 15-4 (7 innings), reclaiming one set.

Q. Nguyen remained steady. In the fifth set, while trailing 4-5, he added a long shot of 6 points in the sixth inning, 3 points in the seventh inning, and 1 point in the eighth inning to create a championship point at 14-7. He then finished the match 15-7 by successfully executing a one-bank cut shot in the ninth inning. Set score 4-1, Q. Nguyen wins.

According to the PBA, Q. Nguyen expressed his feelings, saying, "I am so happy that no words come to mind. I remember this Crown Hite Championship as a very difficult tournament because I played many tough matches, and it feels overwhelming to win like this."

Q. Nguyen, who became the first Vietnamese player to win twice, said, "Winning such a big tournament is not easy. I did not think I would win. I just approached the match with the mindset of 'let's try.' I think I was lucky. Still, I am happy to have set a meaningful record."

Q. Nguyen, who is a father of two children, said, "Having children is a burden, but it also becomes a driving force that makes me work harder. Because I have a family, I can focus more and approach the match with enjoyment."

Although he usually has a gentle face, his expression becomes fierce once he enters a match. Q. Nguyen laughed and said, "I looked even fiercer a few years ago (laugh). When I concentrate on the game, my eyes look fierce, and there were times when even I could see it. In fact, there are things you cannot help when you are focused on the game."

With the season's fourth tour "Crown Hite Championship" concluding with victories by Q. Nguyen and Jung Soobin (NH Nonghyup Card), the PBA will hold the season's fifth tour, the "Jigeum Jal Saneun Bangbeop zgm NH Nonghyup Card PBA-LPBA Championship," starting on the 18th at the "Goyang KINTEX PBA Stadium" in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original