3-Cushion
RANDERS - The most seasoned man in the field, Torbjörn Blomdahl, was on a mission on the day the champions made their way out. The leading role for the Swede, who for the first time in years met the support from his 80-year-old father Lennart, was tremendous at the time so many big names were eliminated. The World championship three cushion was robbed on this Friday (black Friday) of four out of six big contenders with a load of world titles. The gladiators Dick Jaspers (dethroned title holder), Dani Sánchez, Eddy Merckx and Marco Zanetti went out in the preliminary stage on Friday with sixteen players. The final day with four is a fight without Dutchmen, Koreans and Belgians: the knock-out was hard and ruthless. Torbjörn Blomdahl, now really back from being away, not only outplayed Eddy Merckx in a sensational shoot-out, but also the last Dane in the field, Dion Nelin in the quarterfinals.
Dick Jaspers disappeared from stage by a loss to Semih Sayginer, Marco Zanetti by Tayfun Tasdemir, Dani Sánchez by Duc Anh Chien Nguyen and Eddy Merckx by Blomdahl. Jaspers has to turn in many ranking points from the victory at the previous World championship, but can afford this step of unluck. Jérémy Bury and Nguyen Quoc Nguyen will go down somewhat, Semih Sayginer, also at the last podium in Cairo, keeps his points, because he plays in the quarterfinals this Saturday.
The matches for a place in the final match:
12.00: Torbjörn Blomdahl-Sameh Sidhom
14.00: Semih Sayginer-Duc Anh Chien Nguyen
Final match: 17.00.
Dion Nelin had to leave his home event after a few brilliant appearances in a pretty poor match against Blomdahl. The break in that match entered after a run of 13 by the Swede in third inning (20-5). Nelin was no longer capable to make counterattack. After 13 innings, Blomdahl needed four innings more for his last carom (40-19 in 17), but had nothing to fear from the Dane. Delin, however, more than showed himself to the sponsor who gave him the opportunity to reach the world top with the status of professional billiard player.
Sameh Sidhom, not spoiled by many World Cup successes, but almost every year champion of his country and of Africa, and one good performance at the World Games, luckily is in the last four with his own class in Randers. The only African, who is high on the rankings, beat Nikos Polychronopoulos in the quarterfinals 40-27 in 28, with a 9 run to take advantage. The Greek, looking back at a strong tournament, was unable to resist.
Duc Anh Chien Nguyen, a stranger on the global stage until recently, is in a semi-final for the second time in a short time. At the World Cup in Veghel and now even at the World championship in Randers, where the modest guy crossed Tayfun Tasdemir's path in the quarter finals. The great start launched by the Vietnamese brought him to 17-9 in 12 and 23-13 in 16. Tasdemir failed to close the gap, despite runs of 6 and 2 in the final part. Nguyen triumphed 40-33 in 26 after a finish with four.
Semih Sayginer and Quyet Chien Tran set the pace for a tough fight with after the 10-1 lead by Tran the 19-19 in the run-up to the stop and in the final phase 37-37. Tran shone in the match with 9, Sayginer twice with 8. The last stroke came from the Turkish wizard with 3 to the finish: 40-37 in 17.
Torbjörn Blomdahl was the most lucky man in the entire arena after his victory over Eddy Merckx in the shoot-out with 8 to 7 and beating Dion Nelin later today. ''It feels so fantastic to be back in the best four of a World championship, especially now that my father has come to watch me again'' the Swede said on the eve of the final day. ''I already had the feeling that I was on my way back in the Blankenberge and Veghel World Cup. But here now, all is going well, I was lucky in the match with Cenet. It's amazing that I made two times 8 in a shoot-out and could fall into the arms of my father in the stands.'' With his father Lennart, Torbjörn twice became world champion national teams in Viersen: in 1991 and 1997. ''He will definitely be my biggest fan on Sunday.''
The semi finalists for Sunday: Torbjörn Blomdahl, Sameh Sidhom, Semih Sayginer, Duc Anh Chien Nguyen
Eighth finals, 1st part:
The whirlwind was back in the arena in a session in which three of the four matches ended in a shoot-out. Torbjörn Blomdahl (57) was miraculously good and cold-blooded in his second extension in two days. On Thursday, the Swede started with 8 against Lütfi Cenet after the 40-40 in the regular match. On Friday, Blomdahl answered to the 7 that Eddy Merckx started from the spots. The joy, shouted out in the arena, was as if he already won the world title, the emotional release on the face of the six-time world champion was immense.
Three times 40-40 in one session, it never has happened in a World championship. It was the balance of that first round matches with eight players. Sameh Sidhom and Roland Forthomme drew in 21 innings, Torbjörn Blomdahl and Eddy Merckx in 22, Dion Nelin and Martin Horn in 26.
The most striking score: Martin Horn, who twice scored a 9 against Dion Nein, was ten points ahead all the way, but still let it slip away at the end. The Dane, cheered by the home crowd, fought back in the last innings, first with 6 and after a counter by Horn, 5, with two in the equalizer. The German missed in the shoot-out from the spots, Nelin needed one carom for victory (40-40, 0-1).
Torbjörn Blomdahl was the better starter than Eddy Merckx with a run of 11 for 20-13 in 8 innings. That margin remained for a while, until Merckx started his dreaded mental power race and started to counter. The Belgian came back with a 7 to the end (33-36), missed his 40th twice and so, Blomdahl was able to equalize. The shoot-out from Merckx was promising: 7 and seemed like a safe margin. But Blomdahl was astonishing in the tying run with sublime points, the sixth of which was the most wonderful, along the long rail all the way. It resulted in an "eight" that brought the crowd into ecstasy.
Sameh Sidhom did the same facing Roland Forthomme, after a lead in almost the entire match (15-7, 29-15). The Belgian had a short wake up with 9 (30-24) and went side-by-side to the line: 40-40 in 21. Sidhom was the best in the shoot-out, 4 to 1.
The only match that was decided "regular" in this round was the one between Nikos Polychronopoulos and Nguyen Quoc Nguyen. The break was reached at 20-19 for the Vietnamese, which from that part ran away with 8 and was not really threatened anymore: 40-33 in 27.
Eighth final, 2nd part
The second part, with four world champions in the arena, was played in the shadow of the first four matches in terms of tension. The sensation was even more tangible. Dick Jaspers-Semih Sayginer was in theory the most fascinating match, but Marco Zanetti-Tayfun Tasdemir was also a crowd pleaser. And Dani Sánchez should better not underestimate the high class of the rising top player Duc Anh Chien Nguyen.
Eddy Merckx, with his head up high, was the first of the world title winners that dropped out in the previous round. Dick Jaspers, Dani Sánchez and Marco Zanetti followed in his footsteps. The reigning champion played a bizarre match. Jaspers started with a 17-0 lead in 5 innings against Sayginer, but lost his scoring ability after the break (and a "10" from the Turk) in the second half. Sayginer saw and took the way to victory and closed the book for the title holder at 40-29 in 20 innings.
Marco Zanetti made the same powerless impression against Tayfun Tasdemir and, after a smooth start (run 9, 16-11 lead), fell into the trap of his opponent after the break. The Italian scored twice in his last five innings, Tasdemir struck with three times five and two times four (40-27 in 21 innings).
Dani Sánchez, marked by the worries for his sick father, did not find the power to put pressure on the Vietnamese Duc Anh Chien Nguyen. The Spaniard kept up until 13-13, but was finally left down by a run of 13 in the 14th inning. He was no longer able to retrieve that margin, despite a final counter with 8 at 40-28 in the next inning (40-36 in 31).
Quyet Chien Tran, the other and more experienced Vietnamese, made the last Korean disappear from the stage in a match in which both played a best run of 5, Tran won 40-29 in 22.
Dion Nelin when he outplayed Martin Horn from the spots
Semih Sayginer ended Dick Jaspers' world title
Sameh Sidhom, who was at stage after the World Games, now is in the best for of the World championship
Tayfun Tasdemir, one of the best at this World championship, lost to Duc Anh Chien Nguyen, the 2019 revelation from Vietnam
Nikos Polychronopoulos missed the power to fight in his last match after a tremendous championship
Dick Jaspers, in his last 2019 match as the world champion