Carom Series
BOCHUM - The match between two grandmasters was almost in the pocket of Frédéric Caudron: the Belgian needed only the finishing touch in his one cushion match against Xavier Gretillat on a 112-13 score in his sixth inning. He missed one more time, not in the hardes position, so that the Swiss got one more chance.
The result was astounding. Xavier Gretillat started to build up a run, not in an easy position, but gradually he was searching for an impressive run. He crawled slowly, but if the position was favorable often at high speed, to hundred, missed at 94, but was rescued by a kiss on his cue ball and then finished the match in a stunning silence: 120-112 in 6 innings with an end run of 107.
The 38-year-old Swiss, from the Académy of Lausannoise de billiard, two-time European champion in 47/2, was the hero of the audience at that moment. He got an enormous applause, spoke with a big smile about his run and the lucky shot in the end, but was happy with his great run of course and won the only match for his team against Centelles.
Raul Cuenca (vs. Voegtlin) and Esteve Mata (vs. Psiskonis) actually had already decided the encounter in favor of the Spanish team.
DBC Bochum, the home team with Ludger Havlik, Thomas Nockermann and Fabian Blondeel won his second match in the group later in the evening. The French Ronchin was defeated 4-2. Only Bernard Villiers took a win for the French (120-21 in 5) by beating Fabian Blondeel. Ludger Havlik defeated Brahim Djoubri surprisingly in the 47/2 (250-109 in 3), Thomas Nockermann won the 71/2 vs. Jean-Francois Florent 200-141 in 9.
Today Centelles and Bochum meet each others for the first place in this group. The match Blondeel-Caudron in one cushion is at 11, the balkline matches Havlik-Cuenca and Nockermann-Mata are at 13.00.
The matches are live on Kozoom for Premium pass holders.