World Cup start: Blomdahl-Sayginer, Caudron-Leppens

26/10/2017

Publié par frits bakker

UMB president Mr. Farouk Barki and his assistent Achmed Emam did the draw for the main tournament

LA BAULE - The two-time World Cup winner Haeng-Jik Kim opens the main tournament tomorrow (Friday) in La Baule against French wild cardholder Jérôme Barbeillon. The Spanish world champion Dani Sánchez starts his new mission against Adnan Yüksel. Torbjörn Blomdahl was linked to Semih Sayginer, the Belgians Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Leppens meet each other and Dick Jaspers is facing young Spaniard David Martinez.

The UMB President, Mr. Farouk Barki, did the draw in the evening following the last pre rounds and had a lucky hand. The opening day of the tournament, on Friday, starting at 12.00, already guarantees many spectacular matches.

The Korean Dong-Koong Kang scored a 40 in 8 innings (5.000 of average) on the final qualifying day and was the last day winner after four days of qualifications. Six Koreans dominted the last ranking with twelve group winners. Dong-Koong Kang, with a magnificent average of 2.758 over two matches, Jae-Ho Cho and David Martinez were in the top three. Semih Sayginer, who made the best run (15), closed the day as one of the three best runners up to join the main tournament.

The story of the last groups:

Group A:
Dustin Jäschke shows the progress he made in a short time in his first match against Japanese Atsushi Kiyota. The German starts with ten from the spots, runs out to 20-4 in 9 and takes the win after a slightly less final part: 40-30 in 24. In the second, Jäschke doesn't find his rhythm and is knocked down by Jae-Ho Cho (40- 10 in 23). The Korean, this year's winner in New York, easily takes the group win with four match points.

Group B:
Tayfun Tasdemir has not the best start with 5 in 10 against Jung-Wan Lim. He recovers after the break and finishes 40-23 in 28. The other Korean, Young Hoon Lee, the sixteenth ranked player in his country, living in Guri, is the opponent for Tayfun in the deciding game. Tasdemir misses his second last point after the cue ball is cleaned by the referee. The Korean, a Harry Potter look-alike (Lee), finishes with two, throwing Tasdemir out for the main draw.

Group C:
Jacob Haack Sörensen turns a dramatic start against Glenn Hofman (21-11 in 24) into a sublime win. The Dane returns from the break with 7 and 10 in a row, runs to 28-21 and closes with six (40-31 in 30). The tension is raises when Hofman defeats Eddy Leppens in his second match (40-34 in 19). The Belgian shows his fighting spirit: he has to beat Sörensen within 32 innings. The hard work and his high class pay off, despite a hard finish: 40-26 in 26.

Group D:
Dong-Koong Kang starts as a rocket in his match against Rui Costa and leads by 29-12 in six after a 9-run. Two innings later, the match is done. The Korean puts up a 40-14 in 8 innings, good for 5.000 average and an entry in the record books. Tonny Carlsen, winner in the first match against Rui Costa, is facing an almost impossible mission. He can't produce a second trick in two days: Kang wins the match 40-20 in 21 and is the best day winner.

Group E
Semih Sayginer has a brilliant opener as wel facing Kwang Yeol Park. The Turk, who won a Grand Prix in his country with a 40-in-8 final match two weeks ago, is 20-0 ahead after 2 innings (and after a 15-run). He wins 40-19 in 18. The Korean Chi Yeon Cho, winner of the first match against Park 40-31 in 28, is not impressed, launches his attack at 16-15 (in 8) and wins 40-31 in 21. Semih must hope to advance as one of the three best numbers two.

Group F:
The Dane Lars Dunch is out after two losses against Xuan Cuong Ma (40-33 in 27) and Myung-Woo Cho (40-34 in 22). ,,I made 13 and 10 in one match, but also too many misses'', the always smiley Dunch said. The two Asians battle it out for the position on top. Myung-Woo Cho dominates, including a run of 9, is the first at the finish, but Xuan Cuong Ma makes the draw with 4 and therefore is one of the second best players with 3 match points.

Group G:

The match between Adnan Yüksel and Minh Cam Ma is decisive after the Turk and the Vietnamese signed for the elimination of Juan David Zapata. The Spaniard is beaten twice: 40-20 and 40-31 in 23 and 31. Yüksel is by far the better of Ma in a match that levelled until 27-24. Than Yüksel pulls the trigger at 40-24 in 22.

Group H:
David Martinez is the last winner of the day after two comfortable victories. The Spaniard starts his mission against Chang Hoon Seo, whom he defeats 40-29 in 26. On his turn, the Korean is the better of Anh Vu Duong and in his final match Martinez brings himself on top of the group with an excellent win against Duong: 40-25 in 17.

Group I:
Javier Palazón starts a brave last attempt to threaten Dinh Nai Ngo in the final part. The Vietnamese leads 33-16, but Palazón returns in the match with a run of ten, 34-32. The closing phase is again for Ngo, taking victory 40-35 in 21. Both players won their first match against Hideaki Kobyashi, Ngo 40-36 in 30, Palazón with 40-27 in 25.

Group J:
The two Turks, Birol Uymaz and Lütfi Cenet, open the group with a wonderful fight. The first strike comes from Uymaz (21-11 in 10 at the break), Cenet takes the lead at 36-34, but after five and one, Uymaz passes the finish line. ,,My last ball was a lucky ball'', Birol says later. Lütfi gets another chance, but misses the equalizer (40-39 in 29). Cenet is fighting for another chance and defeats an unrecognizable Roland Forthomme 40-13 in 18. Birol Uymaz grabs the group win by beating Forthomme, who still led at 32-30. The Turk had a stronger finish: 40-35 in 24.

Group K:
The stylish Can Capak wins his two matches: first with 40 to 14 against Sang Ku Kang, in his last match of the day against Riad Nady 40-33 in 27. Sang Ku Kang, one of the better players on Wednesday, defeats Riad Nady 40-26 in 24 and finishes second.

Group L:
Christakis Christoforou wakes up from his dream and is a spectator in the battle between the Koreans Jae-Guen Kim and Hyung-Kon Kim. The two Asians draw in the first match (40-40 in 34), then Hyung-Kon defeats the engineer from Cyprus (40-33 in 24). Jae-Guen is the better winner (40-18 in 21) and advances as first. Hyung-Kon Kim enters the main draw as one of three second best players.

The day ranking in the final qualifications:
1 Dong-Koong Kang 4-2.758-4
2 Jae-Ho Cho 4-1.904-7
3 David Martinez 4-1.860-9
4 Can Capak 4-1.860-9
5 Adnan Yüksel 4-1777-6
6 Young Hoon Lee 4-1.739-9
7 Chi Yeon Cho 4-1.632-5
8 Dinh Nai Ngo 4-1.568-8
9 Birol Uymz 4-1.509-10
10 Myung-Woo Cho 3-1.568-9
11 Jae-Guen Kim 3-1.454-10
12 Eddy Leppens 2-1.644-6.

The three best runners up for the main draw:
1 Xuan Cuong Ma 3-1.428-6
2 Hyung Kon Kim 3-1.355-9
3 Semih Sayginer 2-1.820-15.12.00: