3-Cushion
PELOPONNESOS – There it was, Torbjörn Blomdahl’s magic flow… and then, just before the finish, it slipped out of his hands. The Swede had an amazing, flying start against Greek Filippos Kasidokostas in the World Cup’s semi-finals in Peloponnese (33-3 in six innings), but needed another seven innings for the last seven caroms (40-10 in 13).
Dick Jaspers, who admiringly watched the show from the stands, said: ,,What a start, what a performance, so early in the morning. Torbjörn, aiming for the shot and smash, bash, carom. Twenty, thirty times in a row, incredible.’’
Torbjörn Blomdahl is in his greatest form. ,,I feel like in a dream world,'' he said after the powerful demonstration that he offered the Greek public, cheering for its own favorite.
The Swede is apparently a feared opponent for Kasidokostas. Two years ago, in the Agipi Masters, the punishment was even more painful: Blomdahl stunned to a 50-6 in 20 innings.
The battle with the Greek now also turned into a dramatic match. Blomdahl started the show with runs of 8, 9 and 8 in the first five innings, Kasidokostas could hardly score and after his misses went despondently to his chair.
,,I actually had a weird start,'' said the Swede. ,,When I went for the breakshot, there was suddenly an annoying light in my eyes, because someone made video recordings from the stands. I missed the next, but I could continue with some perfect runs.’’
About that start he said: ,,I really don’t know what is happening to me, but every time I have an incredible to start. That’s strange, because previously I was a slow starter. Even in the World Cup in Korea, last week, in my first match, I had one point in nine innings.’’
His last two matches in the Greek World Cup broke with the tradition: in the quarterfinals against Quiet Tran Chien, he scored 29 in six innings, now against Kasidokostas even 33 in six.
,,That I didn’t finish in eight or ten innings, was a matter of wrong thinking. I was at 33 in six innings and thought: now I have to finish with seven, but then you put too much pressure on yourself. The best thing you can do is, keep on scoring without thinking.’’
The Swede is ready for a historic final and an attack at the world record overall average in a World Cup. Frédéric Caudron was the best so far: he played 2.420 in Vienna in 2011 with the set system. Blomdahl has 2.759 now out of four matches.
Tayfun Tasdemir and Ruben Legazpi play to the other semi final.