Viet Nam's Ma Xuan Cuong failed to progress at the AGIPI Billiards Masters after finishing third in Group 2 in the first round of the 3-cushion event in Schiltigheim, France on Sunday.

In the round-robin format, Cuong defeated Ferreira Joao-Pedro of Portugal and Jerome Barbeillon of France, but lost to Polychronopoulos Nikos of Egypt and Leppens Eddy of Belgium. Eddy beat Nikos to top Group 2, leaving the Egyptian player behind.

Only the top two players from Group 1 and Group 2 will qualify for the second round in January and February 2013. Along with Eddy and Nikos, Dion Nelin of Denmark and Jean-Christophe Roux of France have booked their berths in the next round.-VNS