3-Cushion
GOYANG - The Spanish billiards players David Zapata, David Martinez and Javier Palazon have been starring in the Korean PBA since the start of the pro league. The 29-year-old David Martinez, who turns 30 on 17 November, triumphed today in a stunning final in this seasons second tournament. The Spanish star player won the final against young Vietnamese Huynh Phuong Linh Nguyen, 4-2. Therefore, Martinez earned 72,000 Euros. It is the second time that Martinez wins a PBA tournament. His countryman David Zapata won the PBA final event at the end of last season.
The 26-year old Korean lady Se-yeon Kim won the second women tournament in a final against another Korean, Hyun-ji Yong, 4-2. The winner of the ladies' tournament was rewarded with 14,500 euros.
David Martinez is after his victory the PBA ranking leader after two tournaments. The first tournament was won by Korean Dong Koong Kang, who beat David Zapata in the final in june. Martinez was beaten by Zapata in the semi-finals in a Spanish clash. With his third place in that first event and this victory in the second, Martinez is the comfortable leader of the PBA rankings.
The Korean PBA cycle is more and more a professional competition with mostly Korean and Vietnamese players and in the ladies with some Japanese top guns. The European contribution has been further reduced this year, but the Spaniards well continue to claim a leading role with Zapata and Martinez as magnificent spearheads. Martinez won the 5th tournament in the first season and finished second behind Byoung-ho Kim in the 7th. Javier Palazon was also a tournament winner before.
The new season started excellently for David Martinez, the player whose most notable success in his UMB years was winning the European junior title in Antalya in 2010. The victory in Gayong, after an unbeaten run of matches, showed Martinez' high level after the long Corona stop with enforced quarantines. He defeated six Koreans in a row and the Vietnamese in the final. The winning streak started against O-bok Im 3-1, went past Kyeong-jun Choi 3-1, Yeon-sun Lee 3-0, Jae Guen Kim 3-1 and Dong-suk Kim 3-0.
After that, Martinez was the only one to beat the mysterious 'Hacker' with his remarkable mask with an average of 2,222. In the final, Martinez faced Huynh Phuong Linh Nguyen, who had eliminated both Glenn Hofman and Eddy Leppens earlier in the tournament. Martinez tells us that the mysterious Hacker, the revelation of this tournament, is a well-known youtuber in Korea. The videos he publishes, get a lot of views. ''I don't know who he is, but I know after the times I have spoken to him, that he is a nice person. And he surely is a very strong billiard player.''
David Martinez was superior in his match against the Hacker, winning 15-9, 15-7, 15-13 and 15-2 in sets with an average of 2,222 against 1.240. In the final against the Vietnamese, Martinez took the lead twice, Nguyen came back both times: 15-10, 10-15, 15-5, 8-15. The Spaniard explains: ''In the fifth set he made a run of 11 and I answered with 12. I won that set 15-13, then the sixth set was also exciting, but I decided the match 15-13.'' Martinez reacted to his success later in the evening: ''I'm very happy of course with this win and with my position on the ranking after two tournaments.''
The Spaniard also reacted to the question why the Spaniards are among the big shiners in the PBA cycle. Martinez: ''I don't have an adequate explanation. We always try to give our best in all competitions. And in the UMB, too, we achieved good results, like the quarterfinals at the World championship in Bolivia, Zapata was good in the World Cup in Blankenberge, the World Cup that Palazon won. Carlos Anguita also won the world junior title.''
David Martinez, unlike other European players, will not return to Spain in the two months without an individual tournament. ''I will stay in Korea, invited for exhibitions and I will keep on practicing in the Gorina club.''
26-year-old Korean Se-yeon Kim won the second women's tournament of the PBA in a final against Hyun-ji Yong. She defeated her compatriot 4-2 and won the main prize of 14,500 euros. Se-yeon won her third PBA tournament, after winning the PBA championship earlier this year with a top prize of 70,000 euros.
The women's final was not a highlight on average (0,950 against 0,729) and was mainly marked by a huge tension for both players. Se-yeon Kim scored 14 points in six sets with a bankshot, which counts for 2 points.
PBA winner David Martinez in the second event of this season
The shout of joy after the winning point in the final: David Martinez defeated Vietnamese Nguyen
Vietnamese player Huynh Phuong Nguyen who was beaten by Martinez in the final match
David Martinez (r) with the ladies winner Se-yeon Kim during the ceremony
The ladies winner, PBA champion Se-yeon Kim
The mysterious Hacker, who beat Caudron 3-0, but lost to the later winner David Martinez