Tran Quyet Chien has slipped to 17th in the world rankings. That puts him outside the top 14 and out of the main draw. Vietnam has two World Cups left to claim an individual UMB title in 2026.
Five of the season's seven World Cups and the World Championship are already over. Thanh Loc and Chiem Hong Thai each reached a World Cup final. Bao Phuong Vinh won silver at the World Championship in France at the end of September. The title drought remains.
At the Blois World Championship, Bao Phuong Vinh beat Roland Forthomme 50-25 in the round of 16 in just 17 innings, averaging 2.941-one of the round's strongest averages.
Recent podiums have not become titles
Bao Phuong Vinh's runner-up finish was a strong result, but it did not end Vietnam's individual-title drought. Thanh Niên reported that he lost the World Championship final to Eddy Merckx, 39-50, after 19 innings. Bao reached the final by beating Tayfun Tasdemir 50-48 in the semi-final after 25 innings.
Vietnam's recent peak came in 2023. Tran Quyet Chien won his second World Cup in Porto, Portugal, and Bao Phuong Vinh claimed the World Championship. The country added three more World Cup titles in 2024. Quyet Chien won twice, and Tran Duc Minh took the other title.
Results were harder to come by in 2025. Tran Thanh Loc earned Vietnam's only World Cup win that year, in March. The national team found success in the team event: Quyet Chien and Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu won the 2026 World Championship for teams, after a 2025 title with Bao Phuong Vinh.
After the World Championship, Bao Phuong Vinh entered the UMB Events top 10. Reports also noted that he reached fifth place in one ranking list, while Eddy Merckx remained at the top of the UMB world rankings.
Quyet Chien's ranking makes the closing stretch harder
The team gold did not carry over to Quyet Chien's individual results. He has repeatedly gone out in the group stage or the opening knockout round at World Cups and the World Championship. At 42, he is now outside the top 14 and no longer qualifies for the World Cup main draw.
The remaining World Cups are in South Korea in November and Egypt in December. Quyet Chien, Bao Phuong Vinh, Thanh Loc and other Vietnamese players have two chances to turn this season's near-misses into an individual title. Two chances remain.
Vietnam's record since 2023 shows its players can win at the highest level. This season, the results have exposed the gap between team success and individual consistency. The final two events offer title chances, but Quyet Chien also needs a return to form to halt his ranking slide and regain direct access to the main draw.
