3-Cushion
GURI - The battle that everyone was waiting eagerly for, in the arena of the World Cup in Guri, turned out into a one-side fascinating spectacle: Jae Ho Cho, one of the Korean phenomens, was unstoppable in his match against Semih Sayginer. He scored like a whirlwind and a daredevil, crowning his brilliant performance with two runs of nine and a final run of fifteen: 40-17 in 9 innings (4.444 average).
There was an admiring silence to honour the winner in a session that already showed billiards from a supernatural level. Dong Koong Kang had twenty points on the score board after a run of twelve and Dani Sánchez even sixteen after two innings and a twelve-run.
The third session of the day was a spectacular demonstration of the evolution of three-cushion in these modern times. Semih Sayginer, one of the best in a former generation, looked pretty tormented after the embarrassing one-man-show. Javier Teran, who came all over from Ecuador for his one-night-stand, was blown away by Eddy Merckx (40-25 in 19) and in the same round Jae Guen Kim wasn't even more than a paper tiger, buried under a flood of caroms.
Anh Vu Duong, Dick Jaspers, Marco Zanetti and Quoc Nguyen Nguyen joined the winners in the last of the four-day sessions. Torbjörn Blomdahl had, of sixteen winners, far behind Jae Ho Cho, for long the most innings with an average of 1666, until the hard-fought match between Quoc Nguyen Nguyen and Choong-Bok Lee had a long and thrilling end.
The conclusion after this first day:
X Jae Ho Cho, who just dropped out of the top twelve, is paving his spectacular way to a comeback. He seems the best so far of three Koreans who are still in the tournament.
X The Turkish bastion was demolished: Tolgahan Kiraz with shootouts, Semih Sayginer, in a fight that he could never win, Murat Naci Coklu, by a slip at the end and Adnan Yüksel, who was invited with a wildcard, who remained far below his level against Marco Zanetti. Tayfun Tasemir, the Ho Chi Min winner, is the only one left.
X The top ten of the world survived the first day without much threat and returns to the arena in the next round. Sameh Sidhom and Hyung Bum Hwang, who close the top twelve list, are out and have to fear for their position.
X The European proceed on the widest front with still eight players with chances to the final victory.
X The South American Juan Jose Garcia has launched himself as one of the new kids on the block. Pedro Piedrabuena could not shine again in a World Cup.
X Half of the sixteen winners ended up with two average, Jae Ho Cho as the leader (4.444), Sung-Won Choi and Anh Vu Duong 2.222.
X Jae Guen Kim was the least in the main field (0.789), followed by Adnan Yüksel (0.826) and Jean Paul de Bruijn (1.000).
X Murat Naci Coklu was one of the unlucky losers. The Turk missed at 35-35 a tiny little bankshot in the corner against Dani Sánchez and was immediately punished 40-35.
X Roland Forthomme showed one of his terrific highs when he was 5-0 down in the penalty kicks against Tolgahan Kiraz, but then he won the match with a cold-blooded six.
X The former junior world champion Juan Jose Garcia is in the next round for a challenge: Torbjörn Blomdahl is his opponent.
X The two highlights in that round: Sung-Won Choi against Tayfun Tasdemir and Eddy Merckx against Jae Ho Cho.
Dong Koong Kang
The schedule for Friday:
11.00 (Korean timed:
Torbjörn Blomdahl-Jose Juan Garcia
Hyung Kon Kim-Frédéric Caudron
Roland Forthomme-Quyet Chien Tran
Tayfun Tasdemir-Sung-Won Choi
13.00:
Eddy Merckx-Jae Ho Cho
Dani Sánchez-Dong-Koong Kang
Marco Zanetti-Quoc Nguyen Nguyen
Dick Jaspers-Anh Vu Duong.
Quoc Nguyen Nguyen for his last point against Choong-Bok Lee
Eddy Merckx