3-Cushion
ISTANBUL - Top players in billiard know it as nobody else. You can be world class one day and pretty bad the other day. Nikos Polychronopoulos must have felt like that in his first match this morning. Yesterday's star player (30 in 7 innings, 23 run), lost his match against Torbjörn Blomdahl 30-12 in 15 innings. The Swede was top now, the Greek played very poor.
The decision in this group (Group C) actually has fallen, although Polychronopoulos has to beat Radek Novak in his last match. The Czech lost 30-27 against Tonny Carlsen. Blomdahl leads the group with four match points, Polychronopoulos and Carlsen have two points, but the Greek has by far the best average.
Three contenders will play for the two qualification places in Group D. Eddy Merckx defeated Savas Bult in the second session 30-26, despite a run ten from the Turk (16 innings). Murat Naci Coklu won his match against Ramon Hamm, the Luxemburger had a very bad start of the day: 30-11 in 22 innings.
Merckx leads with four match points, but will meet Savas Bulut in his last fight. The group is still open, because Coklu could seed as well with a win against Merckx.