VEGHEL – They are with three players leading the rankings after the second day at the World Cup in Veghel. The Vietnamese want to conquer Veghel as well in their advance on global stage. The Dutch World Cup is only two days underway, but already the Vietnamese are topping the rankings. Thanh Tien Le, who eliminated one of Holland's star players, Jean van Erp, was the best with four match points and 2.222 on average ahead of Nguyen Chi Long (4-1.818) and Hoan Tat Nguyen 4-1.395). The home crowd in the Veghel arena waved goodbye to eight Dutchmen, Barry van Beers, John van der Stappen and Jordy de Kruijf continue, as do Belgians Jef Philipoom and Peter De Backer.
The World Cup organization in Veghel is two days into its fifth and final edition and is working towards the apotheosis this week. Harry Mathijssen, the organizer, has informed his men in the team of plans for the future, but for the next few years Veghel will disappear from the calendar and be replaced by Antwerp for three years. The era is ending, much to the regret of the World Federation. Mr Farouk Barki, the president, wants to express his admiration. ‘’This is one of the very best World Cups in the annual cycle,‘’ he praised the organization in Veghel.
Harry Mathijssen (61, from Rosmalen) made an estimate on the second day, a minor off-day for the Dutch players, of what his World Cup has welcomed in terms of spectators. This year's estimated 2,200 brings him to a total of some 10,000 billiard fans over five years. The arena at the Noordkade in Veghel is widely regarded as an accommodation where everything is available and where the world's best players feel at home.
Dick Jaspers, the last winner, arrives there these days as the leader in the World Cup ranking along with Quyet Chien Tran, the Vietnamese who, like Jaspers, is on 142 ranking points. Korean Myung Woo Cho plays his first World Cup this week in Veghel as the new world champion. For the Netherlands, 27 players show up in Veghel of which on the second day of the qualifiers, three players ensured the successes.
The best match in two days of World Cup so far came from Thanh Tien Le (30 in 10, is 3,000 average), the highest run by Kostas Papakonstantinou (15), the most wonderful carom by Greek Litsa Mavridoglou. Other statistics after two days: the worst game was by Hamed Mohssen (5 in 31, 0.161 average), the most misses in one match by Germans Hamed Mohssen and Frank Spruzina (43 zeros). The youngest player of the tournament was Amir Ibraimov (16), the oldest Frank Spruzina (77).
These are the nice and not so good statistics at the World Cup, in which the bigger players are gradually arriving and getting ready for the final rounds. This Tuesday is the penultimate day of qualifiers, in which five Dutch players will be in action.
Jean van Erp squandered his chances against super strong Vietnamese Thanh Tien Le, who was not threatened by the Brabant player, although he played an excellent day's session with 1.485. Jordy de Kruijf outdid himself with a win against Dave Christiani (30-26 in 27) and later also won against German Mohssen. Although Barry van Beers lost to Vangelis Moulos, his average of 1.818 made him one of the best losers of the day. As a result, he and John van der Stappen (3-0.731-6) may return on Tuesday as replacements for two players who withdrew.
Strong Vietnamese Le topping the day ranking
Jean van Erp lost his last match to Vietnamese Le and is the first reserve player
Jordy de Kruijf, best of the Dutch qualifiers on Monday
Peter De Backer, second of two Belgians moving on together with Jef Philipoom
The group winners on the second day:
- Thanh Tien Le 4-2.222-8
- Nguyen Chi Long 4-1.818-4
- Hoan Tat Nguyen 4-1.395-8
- Brian Knudsen 4-1.304-9
- Peter De Backer 4-1.224-7
- Maxima Panaia 4-1.200-6
- Jef Philipoom 4-1.176-6
- Lukas Mortensen 4-1.132-6
- Jordy de Kruijf 4-1.111-5
- Tobias Bouerdick 4-1.090-5
- Volkan Ozgur Kara 4-1.090-4
- Serdal Bas 4-1.000-7
- Vangelis Moulos 4-0.967-7
- Raymond Groot 4-0.869-5
- Takeshima O 3-1.224-6
- Tom Löwe 3-1.034-7
The groups for Tuesday
Poule A: Van der Stappen, Van Beers, Tom Löwe
Poule B: Minaoglu, O, Soares
Poule C: Mas, Groot, Gören
Poule D: Jimenez, Moulos, Orak
Poule E: Basegmez, Bas, Son Jun
Poule F: Yavuz, Kara, Soumagne
Poule G: Alp, Bouerdick, Kahofer
Poule H: Szivacz, De Kruijf, TTT Nguyen
Poule I: Korkmaz, Mortensen, Kang
Poule J: Seleventas, Philipoom, Nady
Poule K: Vasseur, Panaia, Kabak
Poule L: Pennör, De Backer, Rahmet
Poule M: Saeys, Knudsen, Stamm
Poule N: Kokkoris, Nguyen, Mauer
Poule O: Kiyota, Long, De Kok
Poule P: Jeong, Le, Wilkowski