3-Cushion
SHARM EL SHEIKH - Michael Nilsson's last gold at the World national team championships dates back to ten years ago, when he beat with the current world champion Torbjörn Blomdahl the Belgian team with Merckx and Forthomme. Nilsson, seven time winner in Viersen with TB, is still a world class player. He showed it this Monday morning in his first performance at the World Cup inSharm El Sheik. The 48-year-old Swede struck the very first blow of the tournament in a match against Turk Soner Tas, 30-6 in nine innings. The final innings were impressive: 3, 4, 5 and 10.
The Swede's first reaction: ''The ambiance is wonderful here, with not too much light in the venue and in between it's great to go to the beach with my family.'' With his second win, against Tran Thanh Tu Nguyen (30-26 in 19), Nilsson was by far the best day winner with 2,142 on average. The Greek Kostas Antonatos (1,714) was the number two, also with a World Cup level on average. The other 14 group winners did not reach the 1,500, most of the top five were even around 1,000 and below.
Michael Nilsson, 48, living in Staffenstorp with his fiancée Anna and two young children, Oliver (9) and Elvina (3), has just become a grandpa for the first time and is looking forward to visit the World Cups again. He played in Veghel, now in Sharm El Sheikh and certainly in Antalya at the start of next year. Then, the sponsorship of the Swedish federation will end, he realizes. ''I hope to get some support from friends.'' The early start in the World Cup tournaments is no obstacle. Michael's position on the rankings dropped after a long stop (155th). He wants to climb rapidly to a ranking that fits to his class.
The best-known Swedish billiard player in Blomdahl's shadow is almost ten years younger than his illustrious countryman. He wil play again at the European team championship for nation teams in February 2020. With his golden teammate. ''Let's see how strong Blomdahl/Nilsson still can play.'' Michael Nilsson works as a fitter in his country for the biggest billiard company in Scandinavia: Biljardexperten. And occasionally plays in the Dutch and German team competition.
The other intended leaders on this day in the Sharm El Sheikh arena, Juntae Kim and Omer Karakurt, remained far in the slipstream of the Swedish giant. The Turk Karakurt finished third behind Kostas Antanatos, a not so well-known Greek, and the Spaniard Jesus Rico just below the top three. Juntae Kim on the podium in the previous World Cup in Guri, was even eliminated by a draw in his second game against Turk Ahmet Bayatli, but returns in the tournament as the first runner-up.
Serdar Bas finished fifth in the daily rnking, Andres Carrion beat William Oh and is sixth, Belgian Ronny Brants, not unknown in the Egyptian World Cups, was the number seven in the ranking. The top three runners-up were Asians: Juntae Kim was the number one for William Oh and Tran Thanh Tu Nguyen. Kim is the only one to substitute. The final rush with a run of five by Michael Nilsson was needed to knock-out one of the Vietnamese talents, Tran Thanh Tu.
The Spanish armada entered the arena in the final session of the second day with five contenders for thequalification: Raul Cuenca, Andres Carrion, Jesus Rico, Mario Mercader and Ivan Mayor. All five managed to finish in the top 12. Jesus Rico was the best of them in the top 3. The toughest opponents were William Oh, the Korean, who achieved the best run of 13 in his first match against Moulos, taking the win in 19 innings. And Ivan Mayor outplayed Dong Hoon Kim. Among the day winners were five Turkish players: Omer Karakurt, Serdar Bas, Ilbay Dayparts, Ahmet Bayatli and Muhammed Cavusoglu.
Monday's group winners:
1 Michael Nilsson 4-2,142-10
2 Kostas Antonatos 4-1,714-11
3 Jesus Rico 4-1,363-8
4 Omer Karakurt 4-1.363-6
5 Serdar Bas 4-1,333-7
6 Andres Carrion 4-1,224-6
7 Ronny Brants 4-1,153-6
8 Raul Cuenca 4-1,090-7
9 Bernard Baudoin 4-1,071-7
10 Ivan Mayor 4-1,016-7
11 Ivo Gazdos 4-0,983-7
12 Mario Mercader 4-0,952-5
13 Ilbay Dayparts 4-0,909-7
14 Mohamed Sabry 4-0,759-6
15 Ahmet Bayatli 3-1,000-8
16 Muhammed Cavusoglu 2-0,746-7.
Thirteen players of 48 today are from Turkey. Most known players in today's flights are Michael Nilsson, Rui Costa, Peter De Backer, Antonio Montes, Omer Karakurt, Ronny Lindemann, Gökhan Salman, Bernard Baudoin, Ronny Brants, Murat Tüzül and Tolgahan Kiraz.
Gülsen Degener, Barry van Beers and Ahmet Bayatli meet in the same group, the same for Juntae Kim, Xuan Cuong Ma and Raul Cuenca.
Omer Karakurt in top five and to next round with four of his country men
Andres Carrion outplayed strong Korean William Oh
William Oh, out as one of the best runner-ups despite a 13-run
Ronny Brants, not an unknown star in the Egypt World Cups, moved up to the next round
Raul Cuenca, one of five Spaniards in the next sessions