3-Cushion
SCHILTIGHEIM - The stage of the Agipi Masters is not yb
omp t the platform to shine for the young Portuguese Joao Pedro Ferreira (18) in this phase of career. The talented boy is not yet ready to battle with the top players in the world of three cushion. He struggled especially with himself this afternoon in his first appearance in the hall where so many previous tournaments were played at world level.
His opponent, the 32-year-old Vietnamese Xuan Cuong Ma, who last year reached the last four in the World Cup in Suwon, just enjoyed a nice warming up, which he really could not lose. The score showed that already after sixteen innings: 17-2.
Joao Ferreira has to learn from experience when he plays in the Portuguese league with FC Porto and in the Agipi Masters in a group with amongst others Nicos Polychronopoulos and Eddy Leppens, two players who for many years are performing in World Cups and international championships.
It was a bit painful to see how the Portuguese guy was punished: 50-37 in 49 innings. And his opponent did not even need a great match. The young Joao looked very sad, but can only become mentally stronger from this matches.
Nikos Polychronopoulos had some problems to adapt, like four players in the previous round. The billiard was 'long' at the start of the match and 'short' at the end, as players use to say.
Joao Ferreira has to learn from experience when he plays in the Portuguese league with FC Porto and in the Agipi Masters in a group with amongst others Nicos Polychronopoulos and Eddy Leppens, two players who for many years are performing in World Cups and international championships.
It was a bit painful to see how the Portuguese guy was punished: 50-37 in 49 innings. And his opponent did not even need a great match. The young Joao looked very sad, but can only become mentally stronger from this matches.
Nikos Polychronopoulos had some problems to adapt, like four players in the previous round. The billiard was 'long' at the start of the match and 'short' at the end, as players use to say.
The Greek faced an opponent who in principle came to Agipi with a great form and a lot of confidence. Jérôme Barbeillon won a national ranking tournament in Laxou last week with a spectacular victory in the final against Jérémy Bury.
The Frenchman could not confirm that form in his match against Polychronopoulos: he looked at an 18-11 backlog after thirteen innings, was ten points behind in the entire match and eventually lost 50-43 in 38 innings.
Eddy Leppens is the fifth player in this group. The Belgian starts tomorrow (10.00) with a match against Joao Ferreira.
The Frenchman could not confirm that form in his match against Polychronopoulos: he looked at an 18-11 backlog after thirteen innings, was ten points behind in the entire match and eventually lost 50-43 in 38 innings.
Eddy Leppens is the fifth player in this group. The Belgian starts tomorrow (10.00) with a match against Joao Ferreira.