ANKARA - World champion Tayfun Tasdemir has won this year's first Turkish Grand Prix. He beat Turgay Orak 40-23 in 12 innings in the federation arena in Ankara in the final after a run of 19 in the 2nd turn (score 22-2). 774 players participated in the Grand Prix. The women's Grand Prix was not played simultaneously. Tayfun's win in the final was the best of the whole tournament with 3.330 on average. The champion last year was Semih Sayginer.
Tayfun Tasdemir, who earlier also made a 17 run in his match against Kubilay Sahin, showed his amazing form in the Grand Prix in which for the first time Semih Sayginer, Murat Naci Coklu and Lütfi Cenet were missing due to their departure for the PBA. Tayfun's opponent in the final was Turgay Orak, before that match he beat Hakan Incekara 40-32 in 28, Burhan Celik 40-20 in 20 and Ibrahim Hayri Altuntaslar 40-30 in 23.
Also on the podium was Emrullah Basegmez, who lost to Turgay Orak 40-36 in 26 in the semi-finals. Players eliminated earlier included Berkay and Omer Karakurt.
Tayfun Tasdemir with the trophee of first Grand Prix
Tayfun Tasdemir, first Grand Prix winner in Turkey this season
Turgay Orak, the runner-up
The results in the final rounds:
Best 16:
Tayfun Tasdemir-Hakan Incekara 40-32 in 28
Omer Karakurt-Ufuk Kapusiz 40-32 in 25
Berkay Karakurt-Yufuf Kütahya 40-14 in 16
Emrullah Basegmez-Mulazim Güner 40-30 in 31
Turgay Orak-Hamit Akkaya 40-28 in 24
Best 8:
Tayfun Tasdemir-Burhan Celik 40-20 in 20
Ibrahim Hayri Altuntaslar-Omer Karakurt 40-32 in 28
Emrullah Basegmez-Berkay Karakurt 40-39 in 23
Turgay Orak-Ecevit Eray Erdogan 40-25 in 25
Semi-finals:
Tayfun Tasdemir-Ibrahim Hayri Altuntaslar 40-30 in 23
Turgay Orak-Emrullah Basegemez 40-36 in 26.