The cameras of the Portuguese television and Kozoom were focused on Dani Sánchez, the world champion, who played against Tayfun Tasdemir. The Spaniard felt at home in this atmosphere of filled tribunes and the environment where he's playing for such a long time already in the team of FC Porto. ,,It's my second home, the first of course is Barcelona, the city that's so deep in my heart,'' he said after his victory, 3-1.
Dani Sáanchez feels well again in his own skin. The interview on Kozoom, that he gave a few weeks ago and in which he spoke about the future of billiards in general and his own future in particular, has the Spanish world champion relieved him in a certain way. ,,I've said what I wanted to say, it feels like a weight that has fallen off my shoulders.''
Much has not changed since then. ,,Look at the outcome of the CEB congress in Cyprus. We are going to play the European championships every two years without anything being improved in terms of the premium system. But everyone agrees, so we as players have to accept it, nothing changes.''
He thinks he can give his comment on that situation as the ruling world champion three-cushion. And the interview had certainly a great impact. ,,The response was tremendous, a lot of good, but also many bad reflections. I've just tried to be honest and to explain the position of the players and the future. It feels, in any case, as a relief that I did it.''
Two important days in Matosinhos, with tonight the quarterfinals of the World Cup, followed by the World Championships in Peru, must give Dani Sánchez a good feeling at the billiard too. In the Crystal Kelly tournament in Nice he was not at his best, this afternoon against Tasdemir (3-1, averages 1.620/1.535) he was in a much better form. ,,Tasdemir is always a tough opponent for me,'' he said. ,,Maybe in my career I beat him three times, but for sure I lost at least ten times.''
The Korean Jae Ho Cho provided the first surprise of the day. He defeated Marco Zanetti, 3-1, after he had beaten his compatriot Sung-Won Choi already yesterday. The little Korean can be the revelation again, like two years ago, when he played in the semi finals in Matosinhos and lost against Polychronopoulos after have beaten Martin Horn in the quarters.
The match against Marco Zanetti, by the way, ended very curious and unfortunate for the Italian: Cho made a huge lucky shot in the final moments of the fourth set, when his opponent was at fourteen points, close to 2-2 in sets. Cho finished after the lucky shot with six.
And then it was party time for the Belgians in the arena, after the match of Jef Philipoom against Eddy Merckx and Roland Forthomme against Kim Kyung-Roul. ,,I usually play well against Eddy, but I don't win so much,'' said Philpoom before the match. Today, in the closing innings, Philipoom had the best control over his nerves. He finished with a deciding run of three, which was played perfectly on position.
Roland Forthomme had some luck in the final innings against Kim Kyung-Roul. ,,The luck was not against me, in any case, but earlier in the match I missed three major setballs. Anyway, I felt mentally strong in this match, that was rewarded with some luck in the final set.''
Tonight at 20.30 the quarter-finals will be played:
Jaspers-Blomdahl
Caudron-Polychronopoulos
Forthomme-Sánchez
Philipoom-Cho