BLANKENBERGE - Much more than a late rush to the finish, Jef Philipoom couldn't show to the audience. He won his match against Ronny Brants with that last run (3-2), but whether he was satisfied with it, it was doubtful. The sympathetic man from Pulderbos, who spends the week in an appartmen just outside Blankenberge with his wife and son Luca, will have to be much better in his next match against Caudron.
Ronny Brants usually grows to his best performances in this championship and the Belgian cup: three years ago he was third behind Roland Forthomme and Jef Philipoom, last year he struggled for a high ranking for a long time.
Today was not his day, he didn't have the feeling and the confidence, although he won the first set (15-2) and the fourth (15-14), but in the decisive set Philipoom made an end to the chances of his opponent (15-4). The champion of 1995 and 2002 lifted his average to 1.033, Brants had only 0.844 left at the end.
Eddy Leppens kept his winning chances in this third session of the day in the 47/2 feet. With a run of 244 he broke the resistance of Johan Devos, who was stabbing at 121 points in five innings.
Leppens is still unbeaten after two matches.