3-Cushion
LA BAULE - Two Danish quick starters in the World Cup in La Baule got lost in a dead-end street. Dion Nelin launched himself with a super start, 30 in 10 innings, but suddenly lost his way in his second performance. Thomas Andersen was brilliant and unstoppable in his first match, but unexpected bad in his next. Dustin Jäschke went past poor Andersen, Dion Nelin could barely avoid the elimination.
The former Danish world top player outsprinted Dutchman Barry van Beers in the early day session when he ran out with six and eight to 20-1 in four innings and finished in ten 30-7. The Dutchman recovered with a strong win over David Pennör (30-16 in 12), therefore Nelin was still under pressure for his second match. The Swede Pennör, with just little chances, took a 20-11 lead in 15 innings! Nelin ran into a dead end, but found the exit at the end of the match: he escaped at 30-29 in 30, Pennör made the draw from the break. Nelin's final average: 1.500, Van Beers finished 1.681, but one match point behind the group winner.
Thomas Andersen, the other Danish runner, also had a tremendous start in his first match against Belgian Ronny Brants, 30-23 in 12, for both playes an excellent average (2.500/1.917). Dustin Jäschke, the third player in the group, first defeated Brants (30-25 in 25) and then took Andersen in the decisive match in a stranglehold. The score was 21-9 for the German in ten innings and eventually 30-17 in 16. The Danish turbo fell out of gas in the last part.
That all eventually led to a daily ranking with Antonio Montes on top, followed by Martin Horn, Murat Tüzül, Juan David Zapata and Kostas Papakonstantinou.
Was it a festive day for the French on this third day? Yes, for the young talent Gwendal Maréchal, who first defeated Therese Klompenhouwer 30-17 in 23 and then the Egyptian Ragay Henry 30-15 in 16. The Dutch, with the reputation of best woman in the world, was down for the count against the 59 year old African globetrotter. The world champion could only draw in an agonizing final stage: 30-30 in 39 innings. The other three French home players were knocked down in a break-down battle. Jérôme Barbeillon was eliminated by one of the Vietnamese Nguyens, Adrien Tachoire by Juan David Zapata and Jean Reverchon was sent home by Martin Horn.
Was it a glorious day for the Spaniards? Yes, for Juan David Zapata with a superb victory over Emam (30-9 in 12) and 1.621 as a final average. Yes, for Antonio Montes with crushing wins over Glenn Hofman and Kostas Kokkoris and 1.818 of average, the best of sixteen players on this third day. But not for José-Maria Mas, on Tuesday the best of the entire field, now the last in his group behind Arnim Kahofer and Hugo Patino.
And the Dutch, with five at the start on the third day, how did they come out of the battle? It must be said: the World Cup trauma continues in the ranks of orange players, because not one of the five players even reached the last day of qualifications. Dick Jaspers will again be the only star player for his country. The five fairly known players were thrown to the lions and disappeared from the stage. Raimond Burgman and Barry van Beers did recover with two good matches in the second part, but were eliminated after poor starts against Yusuke Mori and Dion Nelin. Therese Klompenhouwer must return home with a poor 0.759, even in the shadow of good old Ragay Henri. Glenn Hoffman, almost unbeatable in his own Netherlands, played far below his level: zero points, 0.837 of average, making it hell to a player with his qualities. And Jean Paul de Bruijn, not spoiled for a long time by successes at the World Cup stage, couldn't make big moves after the winning start against Filippos Kasidokostas. Murat Tüzül was much cooler and more decisive in the second match than De Bruijn, who was kicked down in the final part after an 8-2 lead: 30-22 in 17.
The Belgians were also empty-handed, because not only Ronny Brants, also Peter Ceulemans, best player on the first two days, had to leave the building. The Greek Kostas Papakonstantinou showed his great form, started with a win over Tsokantas (30-14 in 16) and treated Peter Ceulemans to an ice-cold shower in the evening matches: 30-12 in 22 innings.
Actually, it was mainly the day of the Koreans, who, with Jin Pyo Hong, Wan Young Choi, In-Won Kang and Sung Uk Oh return to the next day. Two Turks, Murat Tüzül and Murat Celik, two Germans, Martin Horn and Dustin Jäschke and two Japanese, Yusuke Mori and Hideaki Kobayashi also sparkled at La Baule's stage on Wednesday.
The sixteen group winners:
1 Antonio Montes 4-1.818-9
2 Martin Horn 4-1.666-12
3 Murat Tüzül 4-1.666-8
4 Juan David Zapata 4-1.621-7
5 Kostas Papakonstantinou 4-1.578-7
6 Jin Pyo Hong 4-1.538-8
7 Gwendal Maréchal 4-1.538-7
8 Wan Young Choi 4-1.500-9
9 Yusuke Mori 4-1.463-7
10 Dustin Jäschke 4-1.463-6
11 Hideaki Kobayashi 4-1.304-9
12 Murat Celik 4-1.250-7
13 In-Won Kang 3-1.818-7
14 Dion Nelin 3-1.500-8
15 Sung Uk Oh 3-1.304-7
16 Arnim Kahofer 2-1.239-5.
The groups for the last qualification day:
Poule A: Tasdemir, Celik, In-Won Kang
Poule B: Nelin, Kobayashi, Ngo
Poule C: Oh, Jäschke, Leppens
Poule D: Polychronopoulos, Kahofer, Mori
Poule E: Morales, Cenet, Wan Young Choi
Poule F: Martinez, Hyung Kon Kim, Maréchal
Poule G: Dong-Koong Kang, Hong, Yüksel
Poule H: Papakonstantinou, Nady, Minh Cam Ma
Poule I: Myung-Woo Cho, Capak, Zapata
Poule J: Uymaz, Tüzül, Duong
Poule K: Forthomme, Carlsen, Horn
Poule L: Xuan Cuong Ma, Palazón, Montes.
Thomas Andersen, an excellent win and a bad loss
Dion Nelin, superb start, narrow escape
Gwendal Maréchal, the only French player to show up in the next round
Juan David Zapata showed his high class again
Murat Tüzül, one of the strong Turks to make a shot at the main draw
Dustin Jäschke was excellent in his match with Andersen