ATHENS - In the second Grand Prix this season in Athens, Filipos Kasidokostas was the best. The number one ranked Greek defeated Kostas Antonatos in the final match 40-19 in 19 innings with a best run of 18. The battle for the Greek championship this year is over four Grand Prix tournaments. Kasidokostas leads the ranking now with 268 points ahead of Nikos Polychronopoulos with 236 and Kostas Antonatos with 184.
Filipos Kasidokostas, who is forced to play with his left hand due to health problems, made a spectacular come-back this year with strong performances and high positions in international tournaments. Because of the victory in the second Grand Prix, he seems on his way to the Greek title.
The tournament turned into a surprising final, because Kostas Antonatos defeated the other top favourite, Nikos Polychronopoulos, in the semi-finals 40-37 in 22 (1.818/1.682). In the other semi-final, Kasidokostas was much stronger than Vassilis Kanetis: 40-14 in 16.
On his way to the final victory, Filipos Kasidokostas also defeated Thomas Koukis 40-29 in 27 and Christos Korilis 40-19 in 19. Antonatos played a poor match in the quarter-finals against Stergiou, which he won 40-37 in 50 innings . The rather unknown Greek was a strong winner against Apostolos Balogiannis 40-14 in 18.
The ranking in the Greek championship after the first two Grand Prix tournaments of the four in total:
1 Filipos Kasidokostas 268 points
2 Nikos Polychronopoulos 236
3 Kostas Antonatos 184
4 Apostolos Balogiannis 108
5 Kostas Papakonstantinou 104
6 Thomas Koukis 104
7 Vassilis Kanetis 85
8 Kostas Kokkoris 84
9 Dionyssis Tsokantas 84
10 George Stergioy 84.
Filippos Kasidokostas and Kostas Antonatos lag for the break before starting the final match
Filippos Kasidokostas