Marco Zanetti, an expert in Scotch Double

03/09/2017

Published by frits bakker

Marco Zanetti watches how his teammate hits the ball

VIERSEN - The best team player at the World championship for nations after on the first day was the Italian maestro Marco Zanetti. The double world champion, with a long career as a top player, didn't come to this world's event with the illusion to be on the highest stage on Sunday afternoon. The country that has a reputation in football, cycling, Formula 1, 5 pins billiards and so many other sports, has only one top player in three cushion. Marco Zanetti is aware of that and and accepts his country's shadow role in his own, typical way.

,,I haven't played all the World championships here and we have survived the qualifications only once in all those years'', he confessed after the first match which he won with Italy against Peru 40-39. And Marco played a prominent role in the game with his team-mate Fabrizio Corteze, whom he coached all the way, close to the billiard. ,,That makes it more difficult, not only for me but also for my teammate'', Zanetti concluded. ,,I have no time to get into my rhythm in this system, but he, Fabrizio, is not only playing, he also has to adapt his game to my instructions. But anyway, that is what the Double Scotch is made for. You both are a team and do everything to win.''

The real gold diggers at the global event, which started up with 24 nations, are coming from the countries with the best billiard players for the last twenty years. The Swedish top team with Torbjörn Blomdahl and Michael Nilsson grabbed the gold in that period seven times, the Belgians and the Turks four times, the Dutch team three times and the Germans were twice on the highest stage. The main contenders for the win should definitely be sought in these five this year, with the Spaniards, the Koreans, the Colombians, the Greeks and the French as the outsiders.

Marco Zanetti plays with Fabrizio Corteze this year, a player without a palmares in the international arenad. Therefore it's wonderful to see how the multiple Italian champion, within the boundaries of the new system (Scotch Double), plays the role of the leader and captain. He's coaching all the time, walks around the table, is whispering behind his hand, pointing his teammate how to tackle the positions, looks over his shoulder and even calculates the diamonds for the bankshots. Two lovely Peruvian guys, the opponents in this first match of the Italians, watched it from their chairs with growing amazement.

Whatever you think about Marco Zanetti in this tournament, he is already the champion of Double Scotch. No other country is dealing with the system as the Italians did it on the opening day. Most teams weren't used to the situation, rarely there was even one player coaching his teammate or telling him how to attack the shot. Only the Italians, only Marco Zanetti, who used all the opportunities to leaven the match in a tactical and technical way.

And... it yielded result for the azzurri, who stayed all the match close to the Peruvians and started the final attack at the end. The excitement was sensible in the arena, until Zanetti and Corteze made the winning point at 39-39. The first win was in the pocket, but whether it will be enough? The Italians will meet the strong Turks with Can Capak and Tayfun Tasdemir on Saturday at 11.00. That will be tough enough to survive the qualification.

Sixteen teams from the eight groups of three made their entrance in the first sessions at the World's team event. The start was extremely difficult on the new tables. The Colombians, with Robinson Morales and Henry Diaz, were the best to adapt. They defeated Portugal, with the veteran Rui Costa and young Joao Ferreira, with a big margin, 40-15 in 22 innings

Sweden's first win did not cost too much sweat for Torbjörn Blomdahl and Michael Nilsson, who left the German B team behind 40-30 in 31. The second team of the Dutch, with Raimond Burgman and Barry van Beers, suffered a long warm-up against Austria, the revelation at last year's World championship with a place in the semi-finals. The Netherlands escaped with the finish in sight: from 39-37 behind to win 40-39.

France and Egypt had a decent start. The French, without Jérémy Bury, went along Argentina without being in troubles, 40-18 in 26. Sameh Sidhom and Riad Nady were a way too strong for Hungary 40-19 in 32. The Greeks, like last year with Nikos Polychronopoulos and Kostas Kokkoris, sparkled with the best alternated run of the day: nine. The victory over Switzerland was neven in danger, 40-25 in 31. The Czech pair, Martin Bohac and Radek Novak, seems to be the main challenger for the Belgians in the group. They beat Luxembourg 40-16 in 25.

In their first appearance, South Korea ouplayed the Hungarian team 40-12 in 25 innings. Peter Varga and Tamas Szolnoki therefor suffered their second loss, so they had to say farewell to the world stage. In the early hours, Hungary was beaten by Egypt.