PORTO - The first knockouts in the main draw at the World Cup in Porto were served out by Frédéric Caudron and Dick Jaspers, followed by Tayfun Tasdemir's dramatic elimination in a thrilling match against Sung-Won Choi. The Turk missed nine match balls and lost the shootout 9-2. The Greek whirlwind Nikos Polychronopoulos was halfway against Murat Naci Coklu after only five innings (26-8), Javier Palazón finished his match against Roland Forthomme in sensational style with runs of ten and eleven in his last two innings.
Choong-Bok Lee came back after a big backlog (39-28) against Eddy Merckx, made it 40-40 but drew the short stick in the shoot-out (2-1) and Dani Sánchez got away with his almost traditional slow start.
Tayfun Tasdemir arrived one day later than planned because of a delay at a Turkish airport. He couldn't be there for the opening ceremony, had missed his flight to Porto due to passport checks at the airport and a misunderstanding with a name change. ,,I couldn't do anything but return home and take a very early morning flight on Friday. That's why I arrived in Porto very tired.''
UMB president Farouk Barki allowed Tasdemir to start one round later against Sung-Won Choi. The Turkish top player didn't start so bad, remained in the match until the end, but failed in a great position to take the win. ,,My focus was completely gone'', said the poor Tasdemir, who had to finish with one after he missed nine match balls. The Korean started the shoot-out with a deadly nine, Tasdemir couldn't score more than two caroms.
The Belgian number one in the world, Frédéric Caudron, entered the World Cup with a victory in the prestigious battle with Semih Saygıner, 40-38 in 23 innings. The Dutchman Dick Jaspers had a blistering start in his match with South American World Cup rookie Victor Tenorio (25) from Peru, whom he left far behind 40-17 in 11 innings.
Frédéric Caudron and Semih Saygıner crossed swords in a match that could have gone both ways at the end. ,,I had a decent start'', Caudron explained later. ,,But when Semih closed the gap with a ten and even took the lead, I was in trouble for quite a while. He played very well in the phase toward the end, but luckily I could finish it off with five. Thanks to the spirit and confidence with which I play lately. I know that I can always score at key moments.''
Dick Jaspers faced the very friendly, 25-year Victor Tenorio from Peru, a player whose name he hadn't even heard of. ,,I realized that it was a match I normally had to win, and that's what happened'', said the Dutchman, who made a lightning start and already led 27-3 in 4, after a run of fifteen in the second inning. The end for Tenorio came after eleven innings, in which he reached an acceptable score of 40-17 in 11.
,,I haven't played that much in the last few weeks'', said Jaspers. ,,This was a good start for me in this World Cup. We both didn't play defensive: that resulted in high scoring from the get-go. But actually the tournament only starts for me on Saturday.''
Sameh Sidhom was remarkably strong against Lütfi Cenet (40-18 in 21), Jae Ho Cho defeated Jérémy Bury (40-34 in 30) and Hakan Incekara, one of the revelations so far, closed the door for Manuel Rui Costa, the home player, after just one round (40-35 in 30). Incekara is the only Turkish player left after the elimination of Semih Sayginer, Tayfun Tasdemir, Lütfi Cenet, Murat Tüzül and Murat Naci Coklu on the first day of the main tournament. Eddy Merckx eventually escaped against Choong-Bok Lee, who couldn't crown an amazing comeback with a win in the shoot-out.
Hyung Kon Kim was the best winner in the last session of the day. He beat Xuan Cuong Ma from Vietnam 40-17 in 22.
The shortest match of the day came from Dick Jaspers (11 innings), Nikos Polychronopoulos was a strong number two with his 40-29 in 14 against Coklu.
Nikos Polychronopoulos: a speed-start and a great finish
Dick Jaspoers, in only 11 innings to the finish against an un-known South-American
Frédéric Caudron got the better of Semiy Sayginer
Javier Palazón, amazing finish with 10 and 11
Match results on the first day:
Caudron-Sayginer 40-38 in 23
Cho-Bury 40-34 in 30
Incekara-Costa 40-35 in 30
Choi-Tasdemir 40-40 in 28 (9-2 penalty's)
Sidhom-Cenet 40-18 in 21
Sánchez-Tüzül 40-28 in 30
Minh Cam Ma-Dong Koong Kang 40-37 in 26
Jaspers-Tenorio 40-17 in 11
Merckx-Lee 40-40 in 21 (2-1)
Polychronopoulos-Coklu 40-29 in 14
Palazón-Forthomme 40-28 in 19
HJ Kim-Ngo 40-32 in 23
Marco Zanetti-Ragay Henry 40-15 in 23
Hyung Kon Kim-Xuan Cuong Ma 40-17 in 22
Jung Han Heo-Quyet Chien Tran 40-33 in 27
Torbjörn Blomdahl-Joao Ferreira 40-35 in 31.
The matches for tomorrow, Saturday, Portuguese time:
11.00:
Caudron-Cho
Incekara-Choi
Sidhom-Sánchez
Ma-Jaspers
13.00:
Merckx-Polychronopoulos
Palazón-HJ Kim
Zanetti-Heo
Hyung Kon Kim-Blomdahl
A very young supporter in the stands in Porto
Stylish Portuguese referee in the knock-out rounds