NEW YORK - The 98 players in the Open Verhoeven start the engines for the decisive matches in the pre-rounds in a few hours (American time 9.30). The Carom Café in New York is preparing for the final rounds in which 32 places are at stake for the next round. Starting tomorrow, Thursday, the five seeded players enter the field with Torbjörn Blomdahl, Dani Sánchez, Frédéric Caudron, Eddy Merckx and Semih Sayginer. For the billiard fans: all matches are broadcast live by kozoom.com.
Martin Horn was the best player on average after four rounds in the first qualifying sessions. The German, who announced his international come-back two years ago in this tournament, is unbeaten in his group with 1.960. Quyet Chien Tran in one of the other groups, with one loss, recorded 1.755, Nguyen Quoc Nguyen 1.694, Can Capak 1.580, William Oh 1.562 and Eddy Leppens 1.538.
The summary after two days and with two more rounds to play:
Group A:
Colombian Fernando Diaz leads with 8 points and 1.086 ahead of Kang Lee and Yi-Soo Jung with six match points. The top three battle it out. Jung and Lee still meet in the fight for second place.
Group B:
Eddy Leppens is the only unbeaten player in this group with eight points and 1.538. Two players are in the race for place two, Sang-Jin Lee and Song Lim.
Group C:
Young Gull Lee is on the maximum score, on the second plan Torres, Weiss and Petersen compete for place two.
Group D:
Dion Nelin, John Hernan and Wilco Meusen are unbeaten, Nelin with the best average: 1.098. The rest of the field is out for a place in the next round.
Group E:
Martin Horn and William Oh lead the field with 1.960 and 1.562 average, Tae-Kyu Lee is still in for qualification. Luis Aveiga gives it a try to survive with two wins and two lost games.
Group F:
Hugo Patino has the maximum score out of four matches with 1.162 followed by Choi and Ramirez with six match points.
Group G:
Three players are on top with eight match points, Nguyen Quoc Nguyen with the best average (1.694). The top three enters the arena for their mutual matches today.
Group H:
Herbert Szivacz is the surprising frontrunner thanks to the win against Quyet Chien Tran, who continued with three matches won in a row and is ranked with the best average: 1.755 against Szivacz 1.190. Dan Johansen is still in the race for qualifying.
Group I:
Roland Forthomme seems to take the leading position, Raye Raskin, Meerten Dallinga and Thai Loc are fighting for second place. The Belgian leads with 8 points and 1.282 and still plays against Raskin. Meerten Dallinga defeated the American 25-23 in 42 innings.
Group J:
Sameh Sidhom is leading with the full match points and 1.176, Kogelbauer and Yoon compete for place two with six points and 0.796 and 0.674.
Group K:
Huberney Cataño's leading position seems untouchable two rounds from the end. Vandenver Reina and Pablo Flores are two match points down.
Group L:
Can Capak has the best chances with 1 loss out of 4 and 1.580 ahead of Fred Lamers, also with six points and 0.828. The two front runners meet each other today.
Group M:
Javier Teran and Eun-Koo Cho lead the field of seven with eight points, Teran with 0.909, Cho with 0.512. The Egyptian Basem Salem wants to take his chance on the third day.
Group N:
Sung-Il Jeong and Carlos Villegas lead with eight points and both 1.369, Carlos Campino follows with four points and 1.333. Villegas and Jeong meet in the last match.
Two more rounds to go, followed by the next draw in Carom Cafe