3-Cushion
SEOUL - Three Korean players and one Vietnamese will show up in the semi-finals of the Asian three-cushion championship. The main favourite Choong-Bok Lee, who played the best tournament match so far in the quarterfinals: 40 in 13 innings (3.077 average). The former four-time junior world champion HaengJik Kim is also one of the semi-finalists. The Vietnamese in the field of four is Xuan Cuong Ma, who meets Chi-Yeon Cho in the matches for a place in the final.
Two major Korean favourites were eliminated on the penultimate day of the championship. Jae Ho Cho, the best player in the first round, was beaten by Hyung-Kon Kim 40-30 in sixteen innings. The number one Korean player Jung Han Heo (who outplayed Sung-Won Choi) stumbled over Xuan Cuong Ma 40-16 in 15 innings.
Chi-Yeon Cho is the sensation so far: he bested a fellow countryman in the second round (Kwang-Yeul Park) and faced in the quarterfinals Vietnamese Anh Vu Duong. The Korean trailed 39-33 when he ran a seven to the finish. Duong needed one carom for a draw, but missed from the break.
The Vietnamese top twelve player Quyet Chien Tran survived the battle against his compatriot Ngo Dinh Nai (40-31 in 18), but was put on the rack by Choong Bok Lee in the quarters in thirteen innings 40-22 in 13.
Korean player Chi Yeon Cho is the sensation of the tournament so far
The eight matches in the eighth finales showed world class level: six of the eight with two or more average, 40 caroms in 15, 16, 18, 18, 20 and 20 innings.
The results of the quarter finals:
Choong Bok Lee-Quyet Chien Tran 40-22 in 13
HaengJik Kim-Duy Trung Nguyen 40-33 in 27
Chi Yeon Cho-Anh Vu Duong 40-39 in 22
Xuan Cuong Ma-Hung Kon Kim 40-35 in 22
The semi-finals:
Thursday 13.00, Korean time: Cho-Ma
15.00 uur: Lee-Kim.
Final: 16.00 uur.
Vietnamese Xuan Cuong Ma is facing three Koreans in the final rounds