TRABZON - How strange and bizarre is the shape of a top player in a tournament like a World Cup. Martin Horn today showed it in Trabzon in his match against Andreas Efler. The German, who was for months in a glossy form with matches always around two average, couldn't hit a decent ball in his first appearance in this World Cup. He lost 3-0 with an undersized average of 0.944.
How is it possible that the 27-year-old Colombian Julian Morales, the Pan-American champion of last year, floats on such a very high level in his match against Eddy Merckx, but then, at the crucial moment, cannot make no more caroms. The Belgian was 2-1 behind in sets, the elimination was so close, but he saved his tournament with an wonderful escape. In the decisive fifth set, he even won 15-1.
The Austrian Andreas Efler began the tournament with a 2-1 defeat in the preliminary round against Hakan Incekara from Turkey. Who would have expected that he would reach the top sixteen now? He also won 3-0 against Martin Horn with 1.184 average, not a great level, but in sets he was boss over his opponent (15-9, 15-12 and 15-13).
In the match between Merckx and Morales the strength of the Belgian undoubtedly gave him the win. He fought back from a very bad position and stayed bloody cold at the time the decision was there.
Murat Coklu showed his own audience that he is a much better player at the moment than Ramon Rodriguez, the Peruvian who seems to be on his way back and apparently gives his priority at the music and not at the billiard. The amiable Ramon had no chance in three sets, only one time he was close to his opponent with 15-14. Coklu scored much higher in average (1.607 to 0.925).
Finally, in the second afternoon matches, there was tot meeting between Jef Philipoom and Savas Bulut. The Belgian won with a score that looked better than it was. Although it was 3-0, Bulut missed twice, in the second and the third set, a setbal. Both sets ended in 15-14.
The first matches for tomorrow are already known:
Jaspers is playing against Cenet, Tademir against Blomdahl, Coklu against Efler and Philipoom against Merckx.