3-Cushion
LOMMEL - The Belgian champion could not have shown it better in his first appearance for the Superprestige 2014. Eddy Merckx is on the hunt for a new success after five victories in the prestigious season opener. The champion scored and looked like a robot in the evening session: three matches, 40 caroms, all in 23 innings, averaging 1.739, a peak with a fourteen run.
The group winner will be accompanied by Ronny Daniels in the knockout phase, which starts on Friday. Daniels showed a solid form after the start against Merckx (40-30 loss), won his two matches and beat Davy van Havere even in the best evening match:
40-32 in 22, averaging 1.818.
The level in the first round, where four of sixteen players came to the arena, was quite high. Three of six matches in 23 innings, one in 22, one in 24, and only Francis Forton against Davy Havere had a defensive laborious, final to 40-37 in 36. Eddy Merckx and Francis Forton were on top after one round after victories over Ronny Daniels and Davy van Havere. The two winners met in the second round: Merckx met a tough opponent in Forton, who only had to turn off in the final phase of the fight: 40-37 (averages 1.739/1.608).
Ronny Daniels, after a win in the second round against Davy van Havere (40-32 in 22) and Francis Forton competed in the decisive round for the second place behind Merckx. Daniels showed his teeth in the last innings, beating the Bruxellois after having trailed 22-8 in 10 and 28-15 in 15: 40-35 (runs 8/8).
The final ranking in Group A:
1 Eddy Merckx 6-120-69-1.739-14
2 Ronny Daniels 4-110-69-1.594-8
3 Francis Forton 2-112-83-1.349-8
4 Davy van Havere 0-101-81-1.246-7.
Tonight (Tuesday) the group with Roland Forthomme, Jef Philipoom Kenny Miatton and Frank de Groof is on stage. The matches will be broadcast live on Kozoom from 18.00.