PLAY CONTINUED AT the PREDATOR EPBF European Pool Championships as further rounds completed in the men’s and women’s 8-ball and the Under 23’s event got underway as did both men’s and women’s team competitions. Taking place at the top-end Miracle Beach Resort in Antalya, the Predator European Championships run from 28th February to 10th March. The 8-ball continues tomorrow then plays through Saturday with the final matches scheduled for 20.30 in the evening.
One player making waves this week is Slovakia’s Jakub Koniar, who is making something of a comeback after a while away from the game. A winner of the 8-ball silver medal way back in 2014, Koniar replicated that feat in the 10-ball yesterday, going down to Daniel Maciol in the final. His semi-final final win over Aleksa Pecelj wasn’t without its controversy, though, as Koniar took the tie on a technical foul after his opponent had won the 13th rack.
Today in the 8-ball he enjoyed an 8-6 win over Wojciech Szewczyk to plant himself in the last 64 round and he said, “This week is OK and I’ve played good pool. I came back after a few years of not playing pool or very little pool so I’m glad I can still play good pool. A lot of matches I played really good.
“In the (10-ball) semi-finals there were some problems because of my lack of knowledge about rules with the tip and the cueball so for my behaviour I want to apologies because in my case I saw that it was a foul and I just wanted to ask the referee if he can watch again if it’s not foul or yes. In the semi-finals both players and the referee made mistakes and I think in semi-finals of European Championships this problems with referees should not happen. It’s just my opinion.
“I’m thinking about it all the time (2014 9-ball final) as I was leading 7-3 and in the whole match, I missed one ball then two bad breaks and I lost 8-7 so I think about it. I’m glad that I came back and won a medal for Slovakia because pool in Slovakia is not too big and the emotions when we win a medal are too big . For big players, pro players, they play like it’s just the next match but for us it’s too big emotions, that’s why this happened,” he added.
Looking to make waves in the U23 category is Ukraine’s Ivan Rudenko who was on tip-top form as he cast aside Jokubas Silantjevas (LIT) and then Silvan Starkermann by 8-3 and 8-4 respectively. Serbia’s
Lazar Kostic awaits him in the winner’s qualification round in a tournament where single elimination commences at the quarter-final stage.
Commented Rudenko, “I feel good although 8-ball is not my favourite discipline but so far so good. I kind of played better than I expected but I prepared as well. I can say I had a tough draw, and they’re really good players. I’ve met them in the youth before and I’ve known them a long time and now we’re in this division and the level is obviously high.
“The chance is always there if I keep playing my game and the balls are rolling my way then it’s all possible. I come here with expectations to play how I can play, to show what I can do because without luck you cannot really win a tournament so I’ll do what I can and we’ll see what’ll happen.”
In the women’s event, Sinem Kokten, who dominated the Predator European Seniors Championships last year, is helping keep home hopes alive for Turkey. Despite suffering an early defeat to Shirin Volery, she righted the ship with a 6-1 over Mina Nasirova (AZE) to take her place in the last 32 draw.
She said, “I played well and I felt good in this match. I came here with pressure on my shoulders I want play my game but the first two tournaments, (straight pool and 10 ball) I couldn’t play well. The table, the atmosphere, everything is hard for me but now I feel I play and the tournament begins right now for me. I feel more relaxed, can enjoy it more, so everything is set for me.”
The two team competitions broke off today and continue through the week until their conclusion next Tuesday. Defending champions and the teams to beat are Germany in the men’s and Austria in the women’s.
Tables 1, 2 and 3 at the Predator European Championships will be streamed throughout on YouTube, via the Pro Billiard TV channel - https://www.youtube.com/@ProBilliardTV
In addition, competing players are permitted to stream their own matches on outside tables to their public social media accounts.
For all results, live scoring and draw, visit www.epbf.com/tournaments/european-championships/
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