BORDEAUX - Sixty days in Korea, back to Europe, a few days off to do business, ten days for the World Cup in La Baule, then quickly back home and leaving for the World championship in Bordeaux. Dani Sánchez finally paid the price for the hectic life of a billiard professional and businessman. ,,I fell asleep yesterday and slept for nineteen hours...''
The disbelief is still on his face when he tells his story to some friends. Dani, shortly after his victory over Christian Rudolph in his first match at the World championship: ,,I was in the hotel lounge for a coffee with Ryuuji Umeda, but didn't feel quite well. It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon. I told Ryuuji, I am going to lay down for an hour in my bed.''
When the 42-year-old Spaniard woke up and looked at his watch, he was startled. ,,It was five o'clock, but in the morning, so I slept for thirteen hours. My phone was filled with messages. My wife, other people: Dani, where are you? I couldn't stand up, so I turned on the TV and incredibly, I fell asleep again. Six hours later I woke up, all my body hurt, but when I got up I really felt reborn.'' And laughing: ,,I haven't felt that great in many years. It never happened before that I slept for nineteen hours.''
Dani started his match against Christian Rudolph, rubbed his eyes and exploded with runs of nine and eleven to win the match 40-11 in 16 innings. Therefore he was the best winner in the second session.
Nikos Polychronopoulos was a way too strong, as expected, for the Swiss Cetin Behzat (40-13 in 19) after a tun og ten from the break. Marco Zanetti ran away from Hugo Patino in the last part of the show after 8-8 in eight innings. The first attack came at 23-12 in 14, finally the Italian won 40-32 in 25. Hugo Patino was eliminated after two losses.
Sameh Sidhom, feared for his high runs at this World championship last year, needed a great comeback against Kostas Kokkoris, who led 22-4. The Egyptian, refereed by another Egyptian, Bilo Salama, both dentists, fought back formidably after the break with a run of 13 and triumphed 40-35 in 30.
Marco Zanetti, winner after a final sprint against Hugo Patino
Hugo Patino, out of the tournament after two losses
Nikos Polychronopoulos, great start with ten from the break
Sameh Sidhom, amazing come-back after the break
The Egyptian referee Bilo Salama, focussed on the match of Sameh Sidhom