Ruben Legazpi beats his father and master

VIENNA - Ruben Legazpi doesn't like to play against his father, who was also his teacher at the billiard table in his younger years in Madrid. ,,I realize that there's nothing to win for me when I play against my father, I can only lose important points for my ranking'', the 29 year old Spaniard said after the familie collision in the Stadthalle of Vienna. Ruben won the match 2-0 after a strong start (15-7 in four innings) and a hard finish (15-12 in 13). For Alfonso that means almost certainly the end of the tournament in which he was one of the stars in the qualifications from Monday.

Ruben Legazpi learned billiard in Madrid from his father, a player who always averaged just over one as a member of a federation club. Ruben: ,,I could beat him for the first time when I was about 23, but now, when we play together in a World Cup, I would have preferred playing in another group. If I win it is normal, if I lose it's very bad for my rank.''

The young Legazpi played in the last World Cup in Suwon his best tournament so far with around 1.900 average. He was only beaten by the later winner Torbjörn Blomdahl 3-2. In the World Cup in Porto he also showed an excellent form. There he lost against another world class player: Frédéric Caudron, 3-2.

In the first sessions of the moring, on the last qualification day, Jean van Erp mad a strong impression against the Austrian Gajs Zoran, who he beat 2-0 with an average of 2.142.

Herbert Szivacs, the Austrian, won 2-0 (1.764) against the Turk Savas Bulut. Arnim Kahofer defeated Vagelis Moulos 2-1 and Markus Dömer surprised in his duel with Pierre Soumagne, winning 2-1 (15-12 in the deciding set).

Peter Ceulemans had to swallow a bitter pill in his match against the Spaniard Ricardo Alarcon Garcia, who won 2-1 in sets, after he finished the third in a great syle. Garcia started with 8 and finishd in the third inning with six. ,,I felt very good before the start, but couldn't stop my opponent in this match'', the Belgian, who was second in the Superprestige a few weeks ago, concluded after his match.