ANDERNOS - The battle for the last two places in the Kozoom Challenge Cup finals is still completely open in the groups G and H this Friday. Robinson Morales and Lütfi Cenet are the leading players, but they can prepare for a fierce attack on their positions. The winners of the two groups join the six players who are already qualified for the final in September.
Colombian and Spaniard Robinson Morales broke away from his rivals on Thursday. The three players were tied after Wednesday with all three 2-set wins. Robinson took the lead on the second day, 5 set wins, ahead of Murat Naci Coklu with 4 and Gwendal Maréchal with 3. Morales also has the best average with 1.813 ahead of Coklu 1.717 and Maréchal 1.304.
Robinson Morales started his attack by winning the first two sets in 2 and 5 innings on the second day. Then, he also won the fifth in 5 innings, but Murat Naci Coklu kept up a good chase by winning the third and fourth set in 4 and 5. The young Frenchman Gwendal Maréchal was only the best in the last set in three innings, beating Coklu, who made 8 out of 2. Robinson Morales finished the second day with a 2.000 on average over six sets of 10 points.
Martin Horn was chasing Lütfi Cenet's lead in the first sets of the second day. The German won the first set in 7 and the second in 4 innings, bringing him back from 4-1 behind Cenet to 4-3. The third set went to Ivan Mayor, before Lütfi Cenet won his first on the second day, 10-1-2 in 3 innings. The Turk also took the fifth set, in which he survived a match point from Horn. The sixth set was again for Martin Horn, so the Turk and the German go into the final day with a two sets margin.
The ranking in Group G:
1 Robinson Morales 5-1,813-8
2 Murat Naci Coklu 4-1,717-6
3 Gwendal Maréchal 3-1,304-8.
Ranking in Group H:
1 Lütfi Cenet 6-1.446-5
2 Martin Horn 4-1.391-9
3 Ivan Mayor 2-0.873-5
Today, Friday, the last 6 sets (or an extra set in case of a tie) will decide the two winners and thus the final qualifiers for the 8-player final in September.
Lütfi Cenet kept his leading position, but is only two set wins away from Martin Horn
Murat Naci Coklu is chasing Robinson Morales' position on the last day
Martin Horn won't give up his race to battle it out with Lütfi Cenet