Vietnamese billiard player brilliantly defeats the world champion to claim the European title

Frederic Caudron (born 1968 in Mons, Belgium) is a famous professional billiards player, known as "L'Extraterrestre" (The Alien). Caudron has won the UMB World Three-cushion Championship in 1999, 2013, 2017, and 2025. He also achieved consecutive titles at the Sang Lee International Open (2006 and 2007), two CEB European Championships (2002 and 2006), and holds 53 Belgian national titles.

Quyết Chiến’s journey to the championship was far from easy. He defeated many top-tier players such as Sameh Sidhom, Eddy Merckx, and Marco Zanetti but faced significant challenges after losses in the group stage against Trần Thanh Lực and Martin Horn. Another Vietnamese player, Trần Thanh Lực, also made an impact by reaching the semifinals before being eliminated by Caudron.

The Blois 3-Cushion Masters 2025 was held in the city of Blois, along the Loire River, from December 18 to 21, featuring 24 of the world’s leading players. The players were divided into 4 groups, competing in qualifiers, round of 16, and knockout finals on 6 billiard tables at the Eric Tabarly Sports Complex.

The tournament offered attractive prizes totaling more than 6.2 billion VND, with the winner receiving 30,000 euros. This event marked the opening of the UMB World Masters, a series of international tournaments held across multiple countries throughout 2026, bringing together the world’s top players.