3-Cushion
HURGHADA – What are the odds that a trip with Spanish airline Iberia ends without luggage? Dani Sánchez is an expert: ,,I have seen it so many times. You arrive, and your cue and suitcase are not there.''
31-year-old Colombian Henry Diaz from Ibague had the same experience this week. He was given a wildcard for the Hurghada World Cup, his first ever, because he is the new nr. 1 in his country. He travelled from Bogota to Egypt via Madrid, but his luggage was not there.
So today (Thursday) he had to start the tournament using Marco Zanetti’s cue and shoes borrowed from a friend who is a Colombian living in Germany, spectating in Hurghada. ,,I had my outfit in my carry-on'', he said.
Zanetti’s cue? What about his opponent? Korean Kyung-Roul Kim, a top ten fixture for years now. Who would still have bet a euro on the chances of Henry Diaz, with no international experience? Nevertheless, he stepped into the arena without hesitation.
And how happy did he walk out of it, after his sensational 3 – 0 victory that ended with full-blooded excitement: 15-10, 15-14, 15-14. The big guy from Korea did not play well at all, his opponent was nothing special on the day, but the tension made up for everything.
He relived the match in the stands, with his Spanish buddies Dani Sánchez, Ruben Legazpi and Javier Palazón. And he told about his home: he is single but he does have a girlfriend, he lives off 3-cushion, teaching young talents.
Twice he was the Colombian champion individually, once with a team. he is the current nr. 1 in his country, which gave him his Hurghada wildcard.
More news from the second session: Adnan Yüksel, last year’s Hurghada winner, was eliminated by his countryman Lütfi Cenet in three sets, averages 1.250 and 0.911.
Peter Ceulemans (against local heartthrob Sameh Sidhom) and Filippos Kasidokostas (against Korean Jae Guen Kim, owner of a magnificent billiard room with 10 large and 10 small tables) survived the round in 5 sets. The Belgian came from behind twice, and was firing on all cylinders in the home stretch (15-6, 15-2, 1.642).
,,Initially I did not feel as good as in the past few days, but I adjust well to the tables, so I managed to repair the damage'', he admitted candidly.
Kasidokostas was quick out of the blocks with runs of 12 and nine in the first two sets, but he fell into a slump that handed Jae Guen Kim the next two sets. In the decider though, Kasidokostas was able to take charge again: 15-7 (1.244 average).