ANTALYA - On stage for the European three cushion medals in the Turkish city of Antalya are two Dutch ladies, one Belgian and one Spanish. The Turkish home land lost all its contenders on the second day: Güzin Müjde Karakasli the last, was defeated by one point to Spanish Estela Cardoso. Therese Klompenhouwer will meet Jaimie Buelens in the semi-final. The second Dutch, Karina Jetten, faces Estela Cardoso. The highlight today was the match Therese Klompenhouwer played in the first knock-out rounds. The hopeless Turkish Arzu Gök was overpowered by the ruling champion and could only watch admiringly after 30-5 in 13 innings. That level was not reached by far, later in the quarterfinals. Only the two Dutch ladies achieved the 30 points.
Steffi Daske seemed to threaten Therese Klompenhouwer for a while taking a 9-3 lead after 9 innings. The German attack did not last long, because after 15 innings the Dutch ran to a first margin, 18-12, with a superb run of nine. The safe harbor was close, the match was decided solidly at 30-22 in 24.
Karina Jetten had a great start against Irena Hambalkova, when she put her under pressure from the start with 6, 4 and a series of two's for a 19-2 lead in ten. Jetten's rhythm stopped in the second part, in which it took until the 25th inning to finish: 30-8
Jaimie Buelens dominated the whole match against Aysegul Fendi. The blonde Belgian is the number two behind Danielle Le Bruyn in her own country, but found a strong tactical plan to reach the top four on this stage. Jaimie defeated Fendi, the second last Turkish, 27-16 in 40. With Güzin Müjde Karakasli, the last home-lady was outplayed somewhat later. The final sprint did not reach far enough, despite a lucky chance in the final phase. Estela Cardoso passed the shot clock at 25-22: Karakasli only scored from the break and did that again two innings later for the last shot. The equalizer missed, because the second ball touched the third ball: 25-24 in 40.
Therese Klompenhouwer outclassed all her competitors in the first round of the knock-outs. The match against Turkish Arzu Gök had a flying start with a big 20-2 in 8 lead after runs of 7, 4 and 6 (2,500 on average). With another 7 in the tenth inning, the score ran to 27-2 and three innings later, the finish was there at 30-5 in 13 innings.
That reminded me of the match at the World Cup in Veghel against Peter Ceulemans, in which Klompenhouwer also finished in 13 innings. ''My start was even better then, because I was at 27 in 7 innings, but I still needed six innings for my last three points'', she later told. The Dutch closed her game, when at all other tables only Jaimie Buelens and Steffi Daske came to the stop half on the way.
The Belgian and German also finished with wins. Steffi Daske defeated one of the big favorites, Gülsen Degener, taking a lead at 17-10, which eventually led to 30-24 in 31. Jaimie Buelens was the better of Monique Wilkowski all the way, the Dutch was beaten by a big margin, 30-11 in 40 innings.
The difference in level was striking in this round with the best sixteen: only Therese Klompenhouwer, Jaimie Buelens, Steffi Daske and Karina Jetten finished their match within forty innings. Jetten defeated Helga Mitterbock in a tough game, finished by a run of 8: 30-24 in 37.
Turkish Aysegul Fendi made an end to the illusions of 24-year-old Dutch Daisy Werdekker, who was no shadow of the player she was on the first day: 22-16 in 40. Estela Cardoso left Marianne Mortensen behind at 19-13 in 40 and Güzin Müjde defeated the Belgian champion Danielle Le Bruyn 27-19 in 40. Irena Hambalkova bested Greek Angeliki Skolarikou in a match that was exciting until the end: 21-18 in 40.
The semi-finals:
11.00, Thursday, Turkish time:
First semi-final Klompenhouwer-Buelens
13.00: second semi-final Jetten-Cardoso
16.00: Final.
The eight ladies for the final rounds
Güzin Müjde Karakasli and Estela Cardoso to launch their match
Belgian lady Jaimie Buelens, solid wins to enter the last four
Estela Cardoso, the only South European in the final four