VIENNA - The Swede Torbjörn Blomdahl is not back from being away, he's just back where he belongs. In the Stadthalle in Vienna the multiple world champion and World Cup winner defeated his friend Dick Jaspers in the semifinals 3-2 after an exciting battle.
Frédéric Caudron had finished his match with Lütfi Cenet already for more than an hour, when Blomdahl and Jaspers still fough in front of a sympathetic audience for every carom. The Swede took the lead in sets two times, his opponent came back and brought the match after a superb fourth set (15-2 in two innings) in balance again.
The decision had to fall in the fifth set: Blomdahl was faster at the start, took an 8-0 lead, but saw Jasper fight back to 11-11. The world champion then missed unluckyly on a crucial moment and saw a cold blooded Blomdahl took the match with a final shot (3-2, average 2.064 for Jaspers, 1.656 for Blomdahl).
,,I just had a little more luch'', commented Blomdahl, who made less caroms than his opponent, but scored the important caroms on the most auspicious moments of the match.
The Swede plays his second final in a row this afternoon, after years of no World Cup wins. ,,I know Caudron is flying at the moment, it will be difficult to stop him.''