3-Cushion
ZUNDERT - The top favorites in the Dutch cup final, Dallinga/Frans Bevers and TOVV.nl/MCR have started the tournament in the group matches with the maximum win. The other two games in the opening round ended up in a draw: A1 Biljarts shared the points with Post Luchtkanalen, Holland Mineraal played tied against Landswelvaren/Iets Anders.
Jean Paul de Bruijn, Eddy Leppens and Glenn Hoffman won their games 3-0 in sets, only Frederic Caudron lost a set against Jack Wijnen.
Eddy Merckx and Frans van Kuyk started with 3-0 matces for TOVV, Richard Bitalis lost a set against Rini Boeren, Dave Christiani won 2-1 against Wiljan van den Heuvel.
The match between the teams of Holland Mineraal and Landswelvaren, in Group A, in which Dallinga and Hultermans are the other contenders, were full of tension. Murat Naci Coklu won 2-1 against Francis Forton and Anno de Kleine 2-1 vs Ronnie Daniels.
The Zeeland team of Landswelvaren levelled the score after the break with wins of Kees Wittens, who defeated Jelle Pijl and Henk Habraken, who only needed five innings for the decisive set in the match against Stefan Galla.
Raimond Burgman provided a lead for A1 Biljarts by beating Huub Wilkowski (2-1), but Wilco van Wijk did really well with a 3-0 win against Addie Wienk.
Ronny Lindemann was the star player for his team with by beating Dion Nelin 2-1. A1 Biljarts closed the match with a draw score when Martien van der Spoel beat Marc Celen (2-1).
The highest averages on the first day were played by Frédéric Caudron (1.842), Ronny Lindemann (1.760), Jean Paul de Bruijn and Eddy Merckx (1.731).
Frédéric Caudron recorded a 12 run, the highest of day one.