3-Cushion
NEW YORK - The final day in the run-up to the knock-out with the best 16 in the Verhoeven Open in New York has only three positions left for a place among the last sixteen. Thirteen of the sixteen finalists are almost certainly known with 31 matches to go. Four European playerss are on top of the ranking in average: Eddy Leppens (2.188), Dick Jaspers (2.188), Dani Sánchez (2.108) and Frédéric Caudron (2.059) perform over two average with still one or two matches in the schedule.
The E-group, in which the Vietnamese 'outside playerr' Duc Anh Chien Nguyen is the unbeaten key player, is waiting an exciting last day. Semih Sayginer, Jung-Han Heo and Sung-Won Choi (all six match points) compete for the runner-up place. And also the F-group isn't still decided. Jae-Ho Cho is a rather certain finalist, but still has to beat Anh Vu Duong to be sure. The Vietnamese moves up to the knock-out when he takes the match. Minh Cam Ma is on the run with six out of five, an average of 1.546 and only one match against to go against William Oh.
Besides Duc Anh Chien Nguyen, the Korean Wan Young Choi is one of the dark horses in the Big Apple event. With five wins and 1.522, he is the stronger number two following Caudron in his group. Gerhard Kostistansky can be able to catch him on match points, but hardly on average.
The most exciting (and best) match of Friday played Dani Sánchez against Ramon Rodriguez, with Frédéric Caudron as the referee and Semih Sayginer as the photographer. The Spanish world champion flaunted with 35-28 in 8/7, well for 4.375 of average. Ramon, never seen him firing up a match as now, was the best loser of the tournament with 28 in 7 (4.000 average).
The Cambodian girl Sruong Pheavy had a great start against Dick Jaspers and even led 19-15 in 9 innings. Then, when things came to a decision, the Dutchman won 35-22 in 16, but Pheavy (nickname Fifi) surely played the match of her life.
On the last day, only the positions on top can be changed. The most interesting matches are:
10.00 (16.00 European time): Frédéric Caudron-Wan Young Choi
11.45 (17.45): Jae-Ho Cho-Anh Vu Duong, Jung-Han Heo-Duc Anh Chien Nguyen, Torbjörn Blomdahl-Dong-Koong Kang
13.30 (19.30): Dani Sánchez-Roland Forthomme, Dick Jaspers-Eddy Merckx, Haeng-Jik Kim-Dinh Nai Ngo, Quyet Chien Tran-Eddy Leppens, Sung-Won Choi-Semih Sayginer.
The thirteen almost certains are:
Seven Europeans: Dani Sánchez, Roland Forthomme, Dick Jaspers, Eddy Merckx, Frédéric Caudron, Torbjörn Blomdahl and Eddy Leppens,
Six Asians: Dong-Koong Kang, Haeng-Jik Kim, Dinh Nai Ngo, Wan Young Choi, Duc Anh Chien Nguyen and Quyet Chien Tran.
Dani Sánchez in a starring role, Frédéric Caudron (left) is the referee
The overview of the groups so far:
Group A:
Dani Sánchez and Roland Forthomme are out of reach. The Spaniard with a superior ten out of five and 2.108 on average, the Belgian lost only to Huberney Cataño with 35-29 in 13/12. Huberney Cataño and Ramon Rodriguez are out for the finals with two and three losses. Marco Janssen played an excellent tournament, Therese Klompenhouwer couldn't show her girlpower among the men with five losses out of five and 0.864.
Group B:
Dick Jaspers and Eddy Merckx had to deal with Martin Horn, one of the stars in New York last year. Jaspers defeated his former team mate 35-19 in 11, Merckx deserved his qualification against Horn with 35-26 in 21. The top billing, Jaspers-Merckx, is scheduled for the final day. Luis Aveiga lost his chances in an unfortunate end against Jaspers, when the South American spoiled two match balls and lost 35-34 in 28.
Group C:
Frédéric Caudron is starring with regular matches in 15, twice 16 and 21 innings, which brings him a little over two on average. Wan Young Choi, a fairly unknown Korean, takes a glory role with 10 out of five and 1,522 and a wonderful second place. The Austrian Gerhard Kostistanski is among the top three, with eight out of five and 1.250, but lost the qualification against to Choi by 35-25 in 23.
Group D:
Torbjörn Blomdahl and Dong-Koong Kang battle it out to be the first in this group. Both have ten out of five, Kang with 1.842, Blomdahl with 1.733. The Swedish grandmaster wasn't on his best level in four matches, but showed his top form against Sameh Sidhom: 35-22 in 9 with a run of 15. Sidhom has three losses to his name despite the 1.500 of average and is the sure number three.
Group E:
Duc Anh Chien Nguyen is fierce on top with ten out of five and 1.620 in a group in which Sung-Won Choi, Jung-Han Heo and Semih Sayginer were the favourites in advance. The two Koreans and the Turk are now in a fight for second place in a tough final battle. Sayginer still plays against Choi and Tae Kyu Lee, Choi only against Sayginer, Heo against Nguyen.
Group F:
Jae-Ho Cho is almost unreachable with eight out of five and 1.518, but still is facing Anh Vu Duong in his last match. The winner of that match is sure to be in the finals. The Vietnamese Minh Cam Ma can catch one of the two key players on match points and average. Jae-Ho Cho has eight out of five and 1,518, Anh Vu Duong eight out of five and 1.188, Minh Cam Ma six out of five and 1.546.
Group G:
Quyet Chien Tran has remained unbeaten with ten out of five and 1.535 and only Eddy Leppens for a bump in the final round. The Belgian has eight out of four and is sovereign with his average, 2.188. Twice, Leppens won in 12 innings, against Nguyen Quoc Nguyen (35-18) and Javier Vera (35-19). The Asian champion Nguyen misses the final round with two losses (Leppens and Tran) and 1.637 on average.
Group H:
Haeng-Jik Kim tops the group comfortably with ten out of five and 1.823, his best match was in thirteen innings, his worst in 30 turns. Dinh Nai Ngo still has the best match of the tournament together with Dani Sánchez (40 in 8). The Vietnamese is the second now in this group with two matches at stake and even a better average than Kim: 1.842. Martin Olesen and Quoc Vinh Tran compete for third place in the group.
The players over two average:
Eddy Leppens 2.188
Dick Jaspers 2.188
Dani Sánchez 2.108
Frédéric Caudron 2.059.
Eddy Leppens
Dick Jaspers
Dani Sánchez
Frédéric Caudron
The best matches:
Dani Sánchez 35 in 8 (4.375)
Dinh Nai Ngo 35 in 8 (4.375)
Torbjörn Blomdahl 35 in 9 (3.889)
Dick Jaspers 35 in 10 (3.500)
Nguyen Quoc Nguyen 35 in 11 (3.182)
Best runs:
Huberney Cataño 16
Torbjörn Blomdahl 15
Roland Forthomme 14
The ladies top three:
1 Sruong Pheavy 5-4-1.049-10
2 Therese Klompenhouwer 5-0-0.864-7
3 Natsumi Higashiuchi 5-0-0.673-5.
Ramon Rodriguez, the musical virtuose from Peru: we never saw him stunning like this in billiards: 4.000 average and a loss against Dani Sánchez, the world's best
Quyet Chien Tran, the hawk-eye in billiards
Luis Aveiga stumbled over two match points to beat Dick Jaspers
Torbjörn Blomdahl dashed off in his match against Sameh Sidhom
Roland Forthomme, feared and powerful in the New York arena
Haeng-Jik Kim, as always, one of the best Asians in the field
Eddy Merckx, watch out, he's come to his best shape