3-Cushion
HOOGLEDE - The start of Eddy Merckx, today on the second day of the Belgian cup final, was slightly better than Frédéric Caudron's win at the other table. The first skirmishes say nothing about the form of these two top guns: they both advanced for the second round in De Gulden Zonne in Hooglede, where another group of sixteen tries to reach the semi-finals today.
Thomas Broux and Ronny Brants did so last night in the other part of the schedule. Broux defeated his opponent Kenny Miatton in a grueling five-set match 15-6 (11), 10-15 (19), 15-12 (9) 5-15 (7), 15-11 (12), averages 1.071/1.073.
Ronny Brants, with his reputation that he can suddenly grow to great heights in this tournament, bested Jef Philipoom and thus switched off one of the favourites: 3-1 in sets: 15-7 (10), 15-5 (6), 2-15 (4), 15-11 (10), 1.621/1.357.
That brings Ronny Brants for the fourth time to the semi-finals in the Belgian Cup battle. Three years ago, only Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx were higher on the podium. Five years ago, in 2012, Brants lost the final against Frédéric Caudron and in 1998 he was on the podium with Frédéric Caudron, who won for the first time, Eddy Leppens (second) and Marc Donvil.
Ronny Brants' opponent in the semi-finals comes from the schedule with amongst others Eddy Merckx, Eddy Leppens and Peter De Backer.
Merckx has already advanced for his second group match, beating Dirk Weeremans 2-0: 15-0 in 3, 15-11 in 12, averages 2.000/0.785.
Frédéric Caudron had a slow start against Nicolas Bievelez, whom he defeated eventually 15-7 (17) and 15-9 (14) with a final run of six.