3-Cushion
SCHILTIGHEIM - The Agipi arena apparently has a magical sound for Torbjörn Blomdahl since he won his second final in the Agipi Masters earlier this year. The Swede was on his brilliant best again in the semifinals of the French play-offs in his game against Dick Jaspers, in which he demonstrated his class and coolness at the end.
His team of Laxou was facing a 4-0 disadvantage after the first part of the matches against Kozoom, so Laxou couldn't spoil one more match point if they wanted to play the final against Agipi tomorrow.
Martin Horn was just like in the first match a bit too strong for Filipos Kasidokostas and actually could not lose his second as well. But Blomdahl, who was launched as a rocket with scores of 17-12 in 9 and 30-14 in eleven innings (run of nine), saw Jaspers suddenly come closer after the break, to 27-34 in 16 innings, 32-38 in twenty and even to a 43-41 lead in 25 innings.
Jaspers found his rhythm, as it seemed just in time to win the match and to pilote Kozoom to the final. But at the crucial stage of the match, Blomdahl was on his brilliant best again. On a 43-41 score for Jaspers, the Suede went to the table, started a run which he finished at nine with a beautiful bankshot. And with his 50-43 victory, the Laxou team grabbed the win and a place in the final.
Martin Horn, the man in a great form this year, made a shorty of his match against Filipos Kasidokostas, whom he defeated 50-39 in 21 innings. The matches before the break were won by Jérôme Barbeillon in 28 innings (against Pierre Soumagne) and Francis Connesson in 44 innings (against Eric Cremer).