3-Cushion
VEGHEL - There is a gap of 32 years on age between Jef Philipoom (58) and Sam van Etten (26), both playing at the World Cup in Veghel. The Belgian veteran Philipoom won one World and one European title in the grey past, both in 1995, when the pros were separated from the amateurs for a few years. Sam van Etten took some nice European and national titles in the classic types of games and only is a starting talent in the World Cups. On the second day in Veghel, this Monday, both players were high in the daily rankings. Jef Philipoom with four match points and 1.463, Sam van Etten with four match points and 1.428. Two extremes in age, two players with different ambitions. The Belgian, a real amateur, still plays in about five countries and can still deliver world class matches now and then. The young Dutchman is playing all World Cups for the first time this year, but has not yet been very successful. ''I give myself two or three years to break through,'' the North Hollander said Monday afternoon after his two generous victories. He was eliminated in the first round this year in Ankara, Las Vegas, Vietnam and South Korea. ''I hope to progress a little further here in Veghel.''
Sam van Etten last year received a wildcard in Veghel, lost to Eddy Merckx by one point and won against Jose Maria Mas. ''I just went out as third, but had a good feeling about it.'' With 1,500 on average, he has at least made a wonderful start this year. The same as Jef Philipoom did earlier in the day in his games with Joris van 't Zelfden (30-23 in 23) and Jérôme Barbeillon, the strong Frenchman, with 30-16 in 18. He is undoubtedly a dangerous outsider for a place in the main tournament.
Dave Christiani was by far the best man of the day with four match points and 2.142 on average. The Dutch high class player first beat his compatriot Joey de Kok 30-13 in 15 innings and further improved with a win over Yavuz Gungordu, 30-10 in 13 innings. The Turk was ruthlessly slaughtered on 20-9 behind with final runs of 3 and 7 by the Dutchman. Tolagahan Kiraz opened in Group A with two generous wins: 30-16 against De Busser, 30-17 against Duriez. Menno de Vries went into a trance against Volkan Cetin in Group B and then also beat Belgian Alain Saeijs without going too deep. De Vries, not among the elite of Dutch players, is playing his second World Cup and to his own surprise had already survived two days.
Maxime Panaia won Group C with victories over Jacquemond and Ales and 1.395 on average. Jean van Erp came out strongest in Group D ahead of Fabrice Puigvert and Mario Mercader, who he beat 30-21in 27 and 30-20 in 20. Sam van Etten was the better against Celik and Witt, against the German, who played mostly defensively, there was even a 30-9 in 19. Jef Philipoom gloried in Group l F. Thomas Andersen started with a loss in Group G against Sander Jonen, the ex-world artistic champion, but as Jonen lost to Moulos, Andersen was able to qualify on average against the Greek (30-6 in 22). Sander Jonen missed the qualification by losing to Moulos 30-20 in 27. Ramazan Durdu was the convincing winner of Group H, after first beating Jean Reverchon himself, the Frenchman also won against Therese Klompenhouwer (30-16 in 18). Therese played a better match against Durdu, but was beaten by her opponent by final runs of 5 and 1 when leading 27-24.
Ronny Brants survived in Group I, having drawn in 37 innings in his first match against Wilco van Wijk. The Belgian's second performance, against Jordanian Naanouh, was of much bigger quality. Brants won 30-10 in 22 and kept Van Wijk out of the next round. Dong Ryong Kim bossed Pierre Soumagne in his first game and went to the finishing touch against Raymon Groot, the Dutch American, who held on for a long time but eventually had to drop out 30-27.
Huub Wilkowski was rewarded for his outstanding match against Mikaël Devogelaere, his teammate in France. The Dutchman won that crucial match 30-11 in 14, one of his best matches so far. The Frenchman then had to win against Simon Blondeel (Wilkowski's 30-29 conqueror) and did so 30-23. That made Wilkowski the group winner with 2 match points. He had the best average of the day following Dave Christiani: 1.685.
Vietnamese Vinh Bao Phuong, who won all his matches starting in the first round in the previous World Cup in Korea and was promoted to the main draw, also showed himself as a great talent in Veghel. He won his Group L against Kabak and Roestel with 1.538 on average, an excellent start despite his jet lag. Cédric Melnytschenko started furiously in Group M with a win over Korean Son (30-13 in 17), saw the Asian win against German Back (30-14 in 23) and finally, as the last of the evening, the Frenchman also won in a strong performance against Back 30-20 in 24.
Francis Forton could not crown his magnificent start in Group N (win against Kay de Zwart 30-20 in 20) in the last game of the day against David Pennör. The Swede had a difficult finish himself against De Zwart (30-28 in 45), but was much better in the late evening match, beating Forton 30-22 in 20. Raymund Swertz settled with Wesley de Jaeger in a Holland-Belgium in Group P in a match where the group win was at stake. Both players beat first-day winner Murat Gökmen, De Jaeger in 23, Swertz in 25 innings. The Dutch crack in the classical games beat his opponent 30-25 in 26.
Dutchman Wilco van Wijk finished the best runner up at the end of the day (three match points, 0.895) and will go to the next qualification day as a replacement for Korean Ji Hun Ahn (who cancelled).
The day's rankings on Monday:
1 Dave Christiani 4-2,142-7
2 Vinh Bao Phuong 4-1,538-7
3 Jef Philipoom 4-1,463-8
4 Cédric Melnytschenko 4-1,463-8
5 Sam van Etten 4-1,428-8
6 Maxime Panaia 4-1,395-5
7 Dong Ryong Kim 4-1,395-4
8 Tolgahan Kiraz 4-1,363-6
9 Jean van Erp 4-1,276-6
10 Ramazan Durdu 4-1,224-7
11 Raymund Swertz 4-1,176-6
12 Ronny Brants 3-1,016-5
13 Menno de Vries 4-0.937-6
14 David Pennör 4-0.923-8
15 Huub Wilkowski 2-1,685-9
17 Thomas Andersen 2-0.842-5
Best number two and through to next round:
Wilco van Wijk 3-0.895-4
The groups for Tuesday:
Group A: Maréchal, Vasseur, Andersen
Group B: Morales, Wilkowski, Nguyen TTT
Group C: Jäschke, Brants, Rui Costa
Group D: Kokkoris, Pennör, De Backer
Group E: Löwe, De Vries, Kahofer
Group F: Gazdos, Swertz, Salman
Group G: Szivacz, Durdu, In Kang
Group H: Jeong, Van Erp, Kostistansky
Group I: Stamm, Kiraz, Abousaleh
Group J: Maurer, DR Kim, Soarez
Group K: DH Kim, Panaia, Henry
Group L: Mas, Van Etten, Hwang
Group M: Karaca, Melnytschenko, Van Wijk
Group N: B. Karakurt, Orak, Philipoom
Group O: Salem, Bao, Novak
Group P: Van Beers, Christiani, B Cetin.
PICTURES TON SMILDE
Vietnamese Bao
Sam van Etten
Jef Philipoom
Ronny Brants
Tolgahan Kiraz
Raymund Swertz
David Pennör
Menno de Vries