3-Cushion
LOMMEL - The climax at the end of four days days of group stages in the Kimchi Superprestige couldn't be better planned. Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Leppens, the key players on Thursday evening, met each other fort he group win. The quarterfinals are played tonight (Friday) with the remaining eight players. Caudron and Leppens, obviously, are part of the show, although Leppens needed a tough performance to advance in front of his home crowd.
The matches for the quarterfinals, tonight (Friday) as of 19.00
19.00: Caudron-De Bondt and Merckx-Van Acker
22.00: Philipoom-Peter Ceulemans and Forthomme Leppens.
What a suspense in the Adelberg arena, last night: Frédéric Caudron triumphed over Eddy Leppens thanks to a strong final sprint, 40-39 in 15. Leppens himself showed up with an exciting end rush to beat Kenny Miatton. ,,I was pretty far down in the first part, with my poor eight points in sixteen'', Leppens looked back later. But suddenly, the master raised for a final stunt. With six and eleven in his last two innings, he took the match (40-34 in 28). ,,I was already thinking, after my bad start, that I should win my match against Caudron to not be eliminated.''
And how impossible that mission was (beat Caudron), the audience in the arena has seen this evening. Caudron was the star player by far with wins in 15, 15 and 18 innings (average 2.500 over three games). Therefore he finished on top as the best player in the four group stages ahead of Eddy Merckx, Jef Philipoom and Roland Forthomme. Frédéric Caudron, for sure, can win the Superprestige for the tenth time in his career.
The match between Caudron and Leppens was the highlight. The two players were in balance for a long part of the match. Leppens seemed to have the best final shot when he missed in his run of eight at 38-33. ,,I left a difficult ball, but Fred made it with a high class shot and was rewarded by good position. Then, I already felt: Fred, in this form, will not give it away anymore. That happened, he finished with seven. I needed two points for the draw. I scored from the points, the second was not really bad. The red ball was against the cushion, but as we say that, it was a 'big ball' lying in the corner. I should have made him, but hit my ball a little too soft, giving an unexpected curve to the ball. And so, I just missed it on 40-39.''
Frédéric Caudron: ,,We played a high class and exciting match at the same time, on this wonderful tables and in a great ambiance.'' But, Caudron said, this was only the run-up, actually it's starting tonight.''
For home player Eddy Leppens, also his last match against Patrick Kesteloot was a hard battle, but eventually Leppens took the win 40-37 in 32 overs. Caudron bested Miatton in his last match in 18 (40-17) and finished on very high level with his average. The best man in the field of sixteen to qualify is the big favourite for the final win. But when Caudron has to play the final match, Saturday at 16.00, he needs to hurry. Because at 21.30 on Saturday night, his plane will leave from Amsterdam for the flight to Korea, where Caudron plays the lucrative LG + Cup next week.
The final ranking in the last group:
1 Frédéric Caudron 6-2.500-8
2 Eddy Leppens 4-1.586-11
3 Kenny Miatton 2-1.123-7
4 Patrick Kesteloot 0-1.097-5
The ranking of the eight players in the final rounds:
1 Frédéric Caudron 6-2.500-8
2 Eddy Merckx 6-1.904-11
3 Jef Philipoom 6-1.666-11
4 Roland Forthomme 6-1.578-10
5 Eddy Leppens 4-1.586-11
6 Peter Ceulemans 4-1.506-11
7 Steven van Acker 4-1.492-7
8 Andy de Bondt 4-1.384-9
The ranking of the eliminated players:
9 Davy van Havere 2-1.357-8
10 Frédéric Mottet 2-1.137-15
11 Kenny Miatton 2-1.123-7
12 Francis Forton 1-0.988-6
13 Kurt Ceulemans 1-0.852-7
14 Ronny Brants 0-1.173-8
15 Ronny Daniels 0-1.132-6
16 Patrick Kesteloot 0-1.097-5.
Tonight at 20:30, between the two quarterfinals, the matches of the best juniors are scheduled. Dylan Parent and Michael Parent meet for the first place, Stef van Hees and Kenny Vander Mierde for third place in the youth tournament.
All matches are broadcast live on Kozoom.
Frédéric Caudron, with 2.500 to the final rounds
Eddy Leppens, a tough tour of force to be in the last eight