SLUISKIL - The European champion facing one of the greatest Korean talents, another Korean prodigy against a capricious Portuguese, two Frenchmen in a trench war match and Turkish best young talent, Berkay Karakurt, against a Belgian outsider. That was the scenario for the quarterfinals with eight players at the Junior World championships, which is growing to the climax in Sluiskil this weekend.
The French clash between Adrien Tachoire and Alexis Rouaud was exciting until the end, but lacked the high class of a game on this level. The French champion, Tachoire, finally won after a marathon game in 49 innings (35-35) from the penalty spots: 1-0. Rouaud missed the break, Tachoire needed one point for the victory.
Berkay KaraKurt was estimated much better on beforehand than the Belgian Wesley van Apers, who came up to the final rounds as second in his group.
There he was knocked down by the young brother of the former European champion Omer Karakurt in a moderate match 35-25 in 18 innings.
And then the spotlights were focused on the bump between Europe and Asia. The Spaniard Antonio Montes on one table against Myung Woo Cho from Korea, the Portuguese Joao Ferreira on the other against the Korean Jun Tae Kim. Two playing styles from two different cultures, all four in a position to play matches over two average.
The tactics played a main role, of course, now that there was a place in the semifinals at stake. Adrien Tachoire sighed after his win over Rouaud: ,,I'm already happy to be on the stage.''
The four players in the second evening session eagered for more, the ambitions are higher. Jun Tae Kim had the best start in his match against Joao Ferreira with a 9-1 lead in five innings and 20-13 in 13. Antonio Montes and Myung Woo Cho were close together at the start, the Korean was the first who attacked and ran out to 21-14 in 14 at the break.
Juan Tae Kim snatched the win, despite a strong comeback of Joao Ferreira in the last innings: 35-32 in 30. The Korean then could watch the final innings of the fight between Antonio Montes and Myung Woo Cho and be a witness of the victory of his countryman: 35-33 in 35.
The semi-finals tomorrow (Sunday) at 11.30 am:
Berkay Karakurt-Adrien Tachoire
Myung Woo Cho-Jun Tae Kim
The final is at 15.00.