3-Cushion
WONJU - The final shuffle in the World 3Cushion Grand Prix is led by Torbjörn Blomdahl, the world three-cushion champion, after the first of three final days. The Swede achieved two victories in his first appearance in the final flight: vs Korean Jun Tae Kim 2-1 and against Bong Joo Hwang 2-0. Dick Jaspers follows the leader with the same match points, but one match more played than Blomdahl. The Dutchman was the best over two Turks: Tasdemir (2-0), Sayginer (2-1). He lost to Hwang 2-0.
Murat Naci Coklu is the best of four Turks with three match points out of two games. On the opening day of the final round, Coklu faced two fellow countrymen. He won against Lütfi Cenet 2-0 and lost against Tayfun Tasdemir 2-1. Another Turkish cracker was already played. Sayginer defeated Tasdemir 2-1.
The most exciting match was the one between Tasdemir and Coklu. In the first set, Coklu won 18-15 in 8 innings, but Tasdemir exploded in the second set with 36-5 in 7 innings. The deciding set also was won by Tasdemir 12-3 in 5 innings. Tasdemir finished with a 3,500 average, the best score of the day. That same Tasdemir later ran into a brilliant Jaspers, who won 2-0: 24-7 in 7, 16-7 in 5. That resulted in a 3,416 average for Jaspers, 2,090 for Tasdemir, who after his tough start (Jaspers, Sayginer, Coklu) is in second last place on the ranking just ahead of Jun Tae Kim.
The battle for the top four positions still has two exciting days to go. Blomdahl, Jaspers, Coklu and Cenet occupy those positions after the first day, but Coklu and Cenet have the same match points as Sayginer, Hwang, Tasdemir and Kim.
Tasdemir is even the best in average with 2,440 and made the best in his match against Coklu: 18.
The ranking after the first day:
1 Torbjörn Blomdahl 2-6-1,790-7
2 Dick Jaspers 3-6-2,391-10
3 Murat Naci Coklu 2-3-1,722-9
4 Lütfi Cenet 2-3-1,657-8
5 Semih Sayginer 2-3-1,975-12
6 Bong Joo Hwang 3-3-1,888-9
7 Tayfun Tasdemir 3-3-2,440-18
8 Jun Tae Kim 3-3-1,483-11
The matches in order of appearance for tomorrow, Friday:
Blomdahl-Coklu
Sayginer-Cenet
Tasdemir-Cenet
Jaspers-Kim
Blomdahl-Sayginer
Coklu-Hwang
Kim-Coklu
Jaspers-Cenet
Sayginer-Hwang
Blomdahl-Tasdemir
Dick Jaspers, two Turkish wins, one loss to Korean Hwang
Murat Naci Coklu, best of four Turks after the first day
Tayfun Tasdemir, second last on the ranking, best in average and high run