3-Cushion
HO CHI MINH CITY - The high level on top and the brilliant averages could have been matches for the podium on the final day. But the World Cup in Ho Chi Minh was still far away from that and had only reached the final day of the qualifications. What Eddy Leppens, Semih Sayginer, Hyun Min Seo, Sang Pil Um and Sung-Won Choi showed at this stage of this World Cup, was amazing. The Belgian grew to his top level with 2.424 of average and a run of 20 (!), Semih Sayginer twice finished his matches with runs of ten and three Koreans in the top five ended over two average.
What a run-up to the main draw, which spectacle can we expect on the final days, starting tomorrow, Friday? Look and watch... some matches in the main draw: Dick Jaspers-Dong Koong Kang, Haeng-Jik Kim-Myung Woo Cho, Dani Sánchez-Quyet Chien Tran, Jung-Han Heo-Jae Guen Kim, Eddy Leppens-Tayfun Tasdemir and Frédéric Caudron -Xuan Cuong Ma, to name a few.
Which players we willn't see back in the main despite strong performances? Adnan Yüksel, Ronny Lindemann, Dinh Nai Ngo, Choong-Bok Lee, Anh Vu Duong and Murat Tüzül. And even eliminated without a win: Roland Forthomme, Gökhan Salman, Birol Uymaz, Javier Palazón, Lütfi Cenet and Jean Paul de Bruijn.
Four players over two average in the top four of the last qualification. That's illustrative for the strong rising level in the World Cups, where Anh Vu Duong couldn't win a match, finishing 1.789 average overall. For his own audience, one of the best Vietnamese is banned to the stands when the stars present themselves in the main tournament.
Eddy Leppens was phenomenal in his two matches to reach the final round. He defeated two Vietnamese Nguyens 40-37 in 22 and 40-17 in 11. Semih Sayginer was on his very best in two final runs of ten against Dinh Quoc Nguyen (40-22 in 14) and Sung Il Jeong (40-34 in 28). What a strong Chung-Won Choi we saw against Birol Uymaz and Ronny Lindemann and what an exciting fight between Tayfun Tasdemir and Sung Ha Yoon (40-37). And young Myung Woo Cho survived miraculously: Adnan Yüksel missed his last by a miscue, the Korean wonderboy finished with 8.
Xuan Cuong Ma was the better of Roland Forthomme 40-29 in 30, Hoang Hung Ho sent the Turks Lütfi Cenet and Murat Tüzül back home, Can Capak was outstanding against Anh Vu Duong, Jae Guen Kim (1.666) was boss over Hyung Kon Kim (1.888) and Jean Paul de Bruijn (1,152) and Chi Yeon Cho defeated Dinh Nai Ngo in the deciding match 40-34.
Three runners-up went along to the main tournament: Trung Hau Do Nguyen (1.900), Hyung Kon Kim (1.888) and Dong Koong Kang (1.743) The spectators in the Ho Chi Min hall were treated to a marvellous preview for what we can wait for on the final days.
The top twelve on thursday:
1 Eddy Leppens 4-2.424-20
2 Hyun Min Seo 4-2.285-9
3 Sang Pil Um 4-2.222-10
4 Sung-Won Choi 4-2.162-13
5 Semih Sayginer 4-1.904-10
6 Tayfun Tasdemir 4-1.702-12
7 Can Capak 4-1.666-13
8 Jae Guen Kim 4-1.666-7
9 Myung Woo Cho 4-1.632-8
10 Hong Hung Ho 4-1.538-10
11 Chi Yeon Cho 4-1.379-7
12 Xuan Cuong Ma 4-1.269-8.
The draw for the main tournament:
Dick Jaspers-Dong Koong Kang
HJ Kim-Myung Woo Cho
Sameh Sidhom-Sung-Won Choi
Marco Zanetti-Hyung Kon Kim
Quoc Nguyen Nguyen-Semih Sayginer
Eddy Merckx-Trung Hau Do Nguyen
Hyun Min Seo-Chi Yeon Cho
Dani Sánchez-Quiet Chien Tran
Torbjörn Blomdahl-Hoang Hun Ho
Jung Han Heo-Jae Guen Kim
Nikos Polychronopoulos-Sang Pil Um
Eddy Leppens-Tayfun Tasdemir
Jérémy Bury-Can Capak
Murat Naci Coklu-Minh Cam Ma
Jae Ho Cho-Hugo Patino
Frédéric Caudron-Xuan Cuong Ma.
Semih Sayginer, twice a finish with ten to be in the main event
Sung-Won Choi, among the star players on Thursday
Young boy Myung-Woo Cho, finish with 8 after Yüksel missed his winning shot
Time for a little nap in the stands in Ho Chi Minh arena