Two main leaders and a bunch of pursuers

SINOP - The take-off of the World championship three cushion for women in Sinop was like the prologue of a major cycling race. Two main leaders set the pace in the first showdown, followed by a large pack of pursuers. Therese Klompenhouwer and Natsumi Higashiuchi gave a demonstration of class.

The Dutch and European champion did it in a flawless match against Danish Jeanette Jensen, who she defeated 25-9 in 19 innings (1.316 average). Japanese Higashiuchi had a promising start against Marianne Mortensen, attacked to 11-3 in seven innings and 19-6 in fourteen, but then needed seven more innings to finish 25-12 in 21 (1.190).

The other two Japanese players, triple world champion Orie Hida and Yuko Nishimoto, also came with a win out of the starting blocks, but finished far behind the two leading players after one round: Hida won in thirty innings (0.833), Nishimoto after a weak start (12 in 25) in 42 innings (0.595).

The billiards room in the Turkish Sinop was already filled with around two hundred spectators, who were cheering for their own Turkish players. They lost all four.

Gülsen Degener was the most disappointed player for her home crowd in a match against Shin Yeong Lee. The Turkish lady had a great start, 10-3 in eight, but played a dramatic second half, in which she lost 25-21 in 58 innings. That means it will be very difficult to catch up in her group with Natsumi Higashiuchi.

The other Turkish players: Guzin Karakasli lost to Karina Jetten, Aysegul Fendi had no chance in the final of her match against Danielle le Bruyn (25-20 in 41), the substitute Arzu Gok was defeated by Nishimoto (25-9) and was left with a sad 0.219 average.

The next matches:
15.00:

Higashiuchi-Lee
Degener-Mortensen
Klompenhouwer-Nishimoto
Gok-Jensen

17:00:

Jetten-Mitterböck
Cardoso-Karakasli 
Hida-Le Bruyn
Fendi-Morel.