3-Cushion
SUWON- Were they so impressed by the Asian violence on the billiards in are the deciding moments of their matches? Was it the long warming-up to the tournament, the heat outside the playroom, or is it just a way to look for excuses which really were not there?.
The young European players - except for the formidable start of the two Spaniards Antonio Ortiz and Ruben Legazpi - are harshly put into reality today. They were swepped out off the tournament on the first day that they entered the arena: Glenn Hoffman, Javier Palazón, Sameh Sidhom and Pierre Soumagne are out of the game.
The exodus was not accompanied by any gloss, that made the loss even much harder. Javier Palazón finished as last in his group behind a Korean and Vietnamese with 1.109 average. Glenn Hoffman was second with one win, he was killed honorably by the strong Korean Kang Dong Gung, but the European junior champion's average was not impressive as well: 1,145.
Pierre Soumagne certainly had a complete off-day with two losses and 0.687 average and Sameh Sidhom finished in the same group not so much better with 1.072, because he, after a reasonable win against Soumagne, was eliminated without much resistance by the Korean Jin Pyo Hong.
It was the day of reckoning for the early twentiers, Antonio Ortiz and Ruben Legazpi were the only positive exceptions. The Spanish champion Ortiz had a great start: he won his first set against Joel Switala 15-1 in one inning, the first maximum run in the preliminary rounds and won the second 15-4 in eight innings, gaining 3.333 overall average.
Ruben Legazpi had a brilliant start as well: the Spaniard defeated Tatsuo Arai and Jae-Dong Choi and ended 2.307 overall average. Jin Pyo Hong is the winner of the group with Soumagne and Sidhom.
The Belgians were put on the plane back home after one day. Eddy Leppens was first knocked out by Seo Hyun Min with only 0.500 average, then he lost against Jean Paul de Bruijn, the final score of the Belgian was far below his normal level: 0.868.
Roland Forthomme did not do much better in his group with two Koreans. He lost both, against Jae Guen Kim and Seung Jin Lee. Lee was the winner of the group.
Jean Paul de Bruijn, who had a promising start like in the World championship in Lima, is one of the players who have already qualified for the main tournament. Seong-Gwan Kim will accompany him there and, surprisingly, the Vietnamese Xuan Cuong Ma, who defeated the Korean top player Jung Han Heo in the decisive match of this group.
Murat Naci Coklu finished first in Group D, Gong Dung Kang in Group E, Seung Jin Lee in Group F.