The 14th Women’s World 3-Cushion Championship in Gradignan has reached its decisive stage. Wednesday was K.O. Wednesday, with the Round of 16 followed by the quarter-finals, reducing the field to just four players.
The semi-finals are now set: Karina Jetten vs Therese Klompenhouwer and Güzin Müjde Karakaşlı vs Nguyen Duc Yen Sinh.
Jetten continues her steady run
Karina Jetten has been one of the most consistent players throughout the championship, and Wednesday was no exception.
She first defeated Colombia's Johana Sandoval 30-24 in 52 innings in the Round of 16. In the quarter-final, however, Jetten raised her level considerably, beating Japan's Ayaka Miyashita 30-15 in just 29 innings, averaging 1.034.
She now faces her compatriot and defending champion Therese Klompenhouwer for a place in the final.
Karakaşlı survives, then advances
Turkey's Güzin Müjde Karakaşlı had a much tighter route to the semi-finals.
Her Round of 16 match against Nguyen Thi Bich Tram went all the way to 30-29 before Karakaşlı escaped with the victory.
She then had a more comfortable quarter-final against Korea's Da Young Choi, winning 30-24 in 46 innings, with a 0.652 average.
Karakaşlı will now meet Vietnam's Nguyen Duc Yen Sinh.
Nguyen Duc Yen Sinh keeps surprising
One of the stories of the championship continues to be Nguyen Duc Yen Sinh.
After finishing second in her group, the Vietnamese player produced an impressive Round of 16 performance against Germany's Steffi Tram, winning 30-14 in 29 innings.
She then eliminated the outstanding player from day one, Korea's Chae Won Heo, in the quarter-final. Nguyen won 30-20 in 40 innings, ending Heo's title challenge.
The Vietnamese player is now just one match away from a place in the World Championship final.
Klompenhouwer remains on course
Defending champion Therese Klompenhouwer also had a productive day.
She began with a comfortable 30-12 victory over Greece's Litsa Mavridoglou in 29 innings, before facing France's Magali Declunder in the quarter-final.
Declunder, the reigning French champion, was competing in her first World Championship quarter-final. She fought hard, but Klompenhouwer eventually prevailed 30-22 in 42 innings, at 0.714.
Klompenhouwer now faces an all-Dutch semi-final against Jetten.
A memorable World Championship for Declunder
Although her tournament ended in the quarter-finals, Magali Declunder leaves Gradignan with an important milestone.
The French player had never previously reached the last eight at the World Championship, having lost in the Round of 16 in each of the previous two editions by just one and two points respectively.
This time she finally broke through that barrier.
Declunder, who plays for Saint-Maur-des-Fossés in the Paris region, also had special support in Gradignan, with her daughter Maria travelling from Greece to be there for her. In front of a supportive French crowd, she delivered one of the best World Championship performances of her career.
Two semi-finals, one title
The final four are now:
?? Karina Jetten
?? Therese Klompenhouwer
?? Güzin Müjde Karakaşlı
?? Nguyen Duc Yen Sinh
The semi-finals will be played today at 11:00 and 13:00 local time, followed by the World Championship final.
The title is now just one match away for each of these four players, with Klompenhouwer attempting to defend her crown and three challengers looking to take the world title away from her.
Pictures by Tom Smilde:
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