GURI - The World Cup's final in Guri has turned out into a Belgian battle between Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx. The illustrious two players, who faced each other already in so many heroic matches, will clash at 12.30 Korean time in the billiard room in Guri after victories over Nguyen Quoc Nguyen and Torbjörn Blomdahl in the semi finals.
The two Belgians didn't show up so many times in World Cups. The last time was in Sluiskil in 2005 when Merckx just had won his first world title.
Merckx and Caudron ever played a World Cup final: in Barendrecht. There won Eddy Merckx his first World Cup.
Frédéric Caudron defeated in the semifinals the very sympathetic Vietnamese Nguyen Quoc Nguyen. The match was in balance until six innings (14-11), then Caudron ran away with a run of six (20-11) and after 31-18 and 38-29 he finished at 40-30 in 23 innings.
Eddy Merckx won the titanic fight with Torbjörn Blomdahl. The Swede, who made a glorious start of the tournament, could not find the spirit to whip up in these semis. He was trailing 20-11 in the early innings after Merckx had made a run of eight, had a short revival, took the lead (34-31), but then Merckx closed with six and three.
The final match is at 19.30 Korean time.
