GWAJUNG – Three of four key players in the World Cup in Gwajung, Korea, have a record of resounding victories. Glenn Hofman is the only one of four final players this Sunday without a World Cup victory. The Dutchman, along with Myung Woo Cho, belongs to the younger generation on the circuit. Eddy Merckx and Marco Zanetti are the purified stars and seasoned world tournament veterans. Which of these four players will stand on the top podium tomorrow, Sunday, in Gwajung in the penultimate World Cup of the year? The signs promise a magnificent finish. Eddy Merckx is the top favorite according to the preliminary rounds. The Belgian excelled with high averages in this World Cup, defeated Frédéric Caudron twice in a row, and won against Myung Woo Cho at the last World Championship in Antwerp. Glenn Hofman defeated the young Korean, the former world champion, in the quarterfinals of the Belgian World Cup and looks stronger than ever in the final stages of major tournaments. Marco Zanetti, the 63-year-old grandmaster, is in contention for the podium after a fantastic battle with Tayfun Tasdemir (50-49), the most captivating match of Saturday's sessions.
Glenn Hofman, who has long been in the shadow of Dick Jaspers in his country, is chasing his first major prize this Sunday. The Hague native dispelled another big favorite, Martin Horn, of his illusions. The German showed top form again after his victory in the Belgian World Cup, but was outplayed by Hofman, the Dutchman who is already assured of a new status in the world's top 14. Hofman and Zanetti face each other on the final day. Marco Zanetti will need some time to recover from the thriller against Tasdemir on Saturday afternoon. The match started with a superior Zanetti, who scored a 6 and a 10 in the first ten innings (23-14). That was the run-up to a long battle with small revivals, rarely a high run, and a 35-35 score in 23 innings within sight of the finish. Zanetti made a 4 and a 5, Tasdemir twice a 5, and in that tense phart, both players closed the match to 49-49. Tasdemir missed his match point twice, while Zanetti made his second, winning 50-49 in 32 innings.
How different it was in the other three quarterfinals. Myung Woo Cho was superior to his compatriot Wan Young Choi, with a comfortable score (50-23 in 29/28), a solid average for Cho (1.724), and a below-average score for Choi (0.821). Glenn Hofman, after a lackluster start, trailed Horn 15-3 in 10 innings, but took control of the match with 8, 5, 5, and 5 in the middle part. It was Hofman's match of 5 point-scores, as he took a 47-36 lead with two more 5’s and finished the match with 3: 50-42 in 28 innings.
And then there was that unadulterated Belgian clash between Eddy Merckx and Frédéric Caudron, in which Merckx narrowly snatched victory 40-39 in the round with 32 in this World Cup. The two world-class players faced each other again the next day, this time in a knock-out match. History repeated itself, as unlike in the World Championship final, Merckx was victorious again. The best player in averages in this event defeated Caudron 50-37 in 16 innings. The start was given in the 9th inning with a brilliant run of 14 (24-18), which was briefly threatened after Caudron's breakaway with 5, 6, and 5 (34-31), but was ultimately reversed by Merckx with a magnificent finish: 4, 4, 5, 8, and 2. The final score: 50-37 in 16.
Earlier in the day, Marco Zanetti was the strongest winner in the 16 rounds in his match against Haeng Jik Kim (50-26 in 16/15). Myung Woo Cho and Glenn Hofman, facing Van Ly Dao and Nguyen Chi Long, played the last Vietnamese out of the World Cup. The Koreans lost Jung-han Heo, Bong Jo Hwang, and Haeng Jik Kim in that round, leaving Myung Woo Cho and Wan Young Choi as the remaining players from their top country.
Eddy Merckx defeated Daniel Morales, the last South American, 50-38 in 24. Wan Young Choi was the better of Sameh Sidhom 50-48 in 24/23. Frédéric Caudron defeated Sergio Jimenez 50-43 in 27/26.
Sunday's semifinal matches:
1:00 PM in Korea (5:00 AM in Western Europe): Eddy Merckx-Myung Woo Cho
3:30 PM in Korea (7:30 AM in Western Europe): Marco Zanetti-Glenn Hofman.
(All live on SOOP TV).
Eddy Merckx showing his joy after he won the match with Caudron
Myung Woo Cho in the semi finals vs Eddy Merckx
Marco Zanetti, never underestimate the old maestro
Glenn Hofman outplayed Martin Horn, one of the stars in this World Cup