3-Cushion
HURGHADA - With two high runs at the end for Dani Sánchez and Tayfun Tasdemir and a strong final sprint of Marco Zanetti and Torbjörn Blomdahl, four of the most seasoned World Cup players have advanced for the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Hurghada. The poster for the next round is impressive: Marco Zanetti plays against Torbjörn Blomdahl, Dani Sánchez against Tayfun Tasdemir.
The match between Blomdahl and Sánchez (16.00 Egyptian time) can be decisve more or less for the overall victory in the World Cup. The Spaniard leads, six points ahead of Dick Jaspers and ten more than Torbjörn Blomdahl.
Dick Jaspers, the other contender for the title, will play in the next round against the best player of the first day: the Turk Lütfi Cenet.
The first session of the day was dominated by the Turkish clash between two of this year's World Cup winners: Tayfun Tasdemir and Murat Naci Coklu. Tasdemir's big (21-4 after 8 innings) came in danger at the end when Coklu ran 11 in an intermediate sprint, bringing him back to 33-29. Tasdemir, however, replied very soon and finished in the 19th inning. Coklu lacked four points in the equalizer (40-36).
Marco Zanetti had a much better start than the Korean Jin Pyo Hong, whom he left behind 22-9 in five innings after a run of twelve. Five innings later, the match was tied again (22-18) and could go eather way. The Italian remained cool in the final part and took the win 40-30 (20).
Dani Sánchez made the final gap against Tolgahan Kiraz in the last inning with a winning streak of eight: 40-27 in 24. And Torbjörn Blomdahl made the decisive eleven against Javier Palazón in the 18th inning. The Spaniard could reply with seven, but lost 40-32 in 24.
Tayfun Tasdemir, winner of the Turkish clash against Murat Naci Coklu
Torbjörn Blomdahl outplayed Javier Palazón, the semi-finalist last year
Dani Sánchez kept himself in the title race for the overall win
Javier Palazón, knocked out by a strong Blomdahl
The last World Cup winner Murat Naci Coklu is out after a loss against Tasdemir
Tolgahan Kiraz lost to Dani Sánchez and is out, despite a strong performance