3-Cushion
SCHILTIGHEIM - The masters of the self-control will meet two players with an explosive character. Two Koreans, Kim Haeng-JIK and Jung-Han Heo, are competing on the second day with two Belgians, Roland Forthomme and Eddy Leppens, for qualifying in the top twenty of the Masters.
The first session, today, opened with a Belgian and a Korean clash. Forthomme and Leppens two good friends in daily life, were fighting in the mutual confrontation for every carom. Forthomme got the best regard at the end. At the other table Jung-Han Heo, last year one of the stars in the Masters, played against Haeng-Jik Kim, triple world champion juniors. Routine against talent: the young player, maybe the most talented in the world of three-cushion, showed himself the best.
The start of Kim was just as impressive as the final sprint. The Korean duel had an irregular course. Kim sprinted away from the start to a big lead (25-8), Heo fought himself back in the match to a 38-34 advantage, but the young Kim had the final shot, he won 50-42 in 27 innings.
The two Belgians at the other table also were playing a fascinating duel with constantly changing chances. Forthomme has the best palmares of the two in the Masters. The French-speaking Belgian made it two times to the quarters in 2009 and 2010. Last year he missed the final group after a victory over Sung-Won Choi, the later winner and a loss by only one carom against Filipos Kasidokostas. Thereafter the Belgian was also defeated by Dion Nelin and Glenn Hoffman.
Eddy Leppens also has booked great successes in his list of achievements, such as winning the European title for teams with Eddy Merckx, a place in the World chanpionship final in Sluiskil in 2010 and before two bronze medals. He is also one of the most allround players in the shadow of Frédéric Caudron in all disciplines, in which he can grow to great heights.
Roland Forthomme led halfway the match 26-18, then Leppens sprinted to 34-33, but he Forthomme prevailed again in the final phase. He also seemed to win the first bonus with a run of ten, but after he had made a formidable carom for nine, he missed a fairly simple ball for the run of ten.
Eddy Leppens fought back one more time after the run: he made 4, 1, 2 and 4 at the end, but after he missed in his last inning, Forthomme finished in 31th with two.