ATHENS - On his very best again, like in the previous ranking event in Athens, Nikos Polychronopoulos took the third Greek tournament this weekend. The reigning champion of his country defeated in the Barrage Club in Athens the current number one in the standings, Kostas Kokkoris, in an impressive match 40-12 in 10 innings. With that victory Polychronopoulos climbs to the second place in the ranking. The fourth and final ranking tournament will be played in the first week of May.
The victory of Polychronopoulos was very spectacular, like the last one in Trisponto Club where was 39-26 down against Filippos Kasidokostas in the final and then ran a fourteen to the finish. Kasidokostas missed the equalizing inning.
In the final against Kokkoris there was a 20-5 score for Polychronopoulos after six innings when he continued with a thirteen in the seventh inning. Poly finished in the tenth inning 40-12.
The semi-final between Polychronopoulos and Kasidokostas was even more a fascinating fight. Kasidokostas started with 9, 10 and 4 and took a 27-5 lead. Polychronopoulos responded with 10, 11 and 6 and won the match 40-34 in 17 innings.
Kostas Kokkoris won the other semi-final vs George Karakatsanis 40-31 in 36.
In the standings, Kokkoris still leads ahead of Polychronopoulos, Kasidokostas and the remarkably strong Nick Tremoulis, who lost to Polychronopoulos in this tournament 40-31 in 26. Filippos Kasidokostas played an excellent match in the eighth final, which he won in 14 innings vs Gavriilidis .
The ranking after three of four tournaments:
1 Kokkoris 172-1.197-11
2 Polychronopoulos 160-1.802-14
3 Kasidokostas 146-1.804-17
4 Tremoulis 78-1.106-8
5 Balogiannis 72-1.139-8
6 Papageorgiou 72-1.128-14
7 Papakonstantinou 72-1.185-13
8 Gavrilidis 58-0.856-9
9 Koukis 54-1.317-10
10 Moulos 50-1.013-9.