ZUNDERT - He did it already in the Belgian leagye this year: playing a draw against Frédéric Caudron. And in that match, the master himself, who was playing a home match, needed the equalizer for the 42-42 score at the end. The same scenario was seen in the late evening, yesterdag in the Christmas tournament in Zundert: Barry van Beers had finished the match, Frédéric Caudron made two caroms from the equalizer: 50-50.
The tension in Group A brings three players after two rounds in a position to reach the eight finals. Frédéric Caudron and Barry van Beers, who needed 32 innings in their mutual match, gathered three match points, Gerwin Valentijn two, because he won his last night match against Glenn Hofman 50-43 in 33 innings. The young Dutchman is therefore the only player after two matches who is eliminated.
Caudron will play today against Valentijn for his last group match, Van Beers against Hofman.
Two amazing winners in the groups C and D last night. Martin Spoormans, purified and still dangerous for many opponents, defeated Roland Forthomme, his former leader in the Delta team in Holland, 50-42 in 28 innings. In that group Peter de Backer defeated Jean van Erp in a match on a high level: 50-39 in 29.
Eddy Merckx had a flawless start against Jeffrey van Nijnatten, the home player from Zundert (50-11 in 26). The match between the numbers two and three in the ranking was unpredictable on beforehand. Raimond Burgman showed the better form, Peter Ceulemans was left far behind at the finish: 50-26 in 30 innings.