SCHILTIGHEIM - Two Belgians and two Koreans met in the first round of Group D in a battle for the first match points. Frédéric Caudron sprinted to a superb win and seems to be very sharp from the start. He defeated Eddy Leppens, his compatriot, in seventeen innings and ran a twelve to the finish: 50-30.
The Korean bump ended in a victory for the newcomer Choong Bok Lee, who left Sung Won Choi, suffering an injury, behind him (50-38).
The former winner of the Agipi Masters, two years ago, was in the hospital in his hometown Busan four weeks ago for a surgery on the ligament in his left arm. He played the match against Lee with a bandage, but could not hide the pain and reach his normal level.
Frédéric Caudron had a blistering start in his match against the man with whom he usually plays in one team, but now was his opponent in a mutual battle. In the opening phase and at the end of the match Caudron launched his attacks, starting with 24 in 7 innings and a finish with 23 caroms in his last five innings.
He said after the match that he did not feel really good the night before (in the league against Dick Jaspers), which he lost with only a few points. Today he was top: with two powerful breakaways that decided the opening match in this group.
Eddy Leppens had not even a bad feeling, but was down for the count against Caudron in this form. ,,I have made a few small mistakes,'' admitted Leppens later. ,,But at a certain point in the match it felt like I could finish as well in a few innings. When we were 38-30, I missed a crucial shot. I knew the carom was difficult, took a time-out, because I knew I could have a nice position when I made it. But I missed... And Caudron closed with twelve.''
The Koreans were in balance until 34-33, then Lee kept a cool head until the finish (50-38). The man who's playing for the first time in Agipi, formerly a good basketball player and golfer as well, made a highest run of seven and scored lots of three's and fours.
Sung Won Choi was visibly suffering from his surgery: at the end of the match he played with sweat drops on his forehead, hiding the pain in his arm.
Later he told that the injury had troubled him during the tournament he won, two years ago. ,,My hand on the billiard table was shaking, because of the pain.'' Choi also could not score high runs against Lee: and the player who is feared for his strong final rush, had a poor finish with 5 points in seven innings.