HO CHI MINH CITY - The star of Hyung Mook Lim, a pretty unknown Korean, shone again on the second day at the World Cup in Ho Chi Minh. Two Asians finished on top of the day ranking with 2.222 average. Filippos Kasidokostas is out of the World Cup after two matches, despite a strong final sprint. The Greek former world champion was punished for a weak start and eliminated after winning in his second match 30 in 11 innings and 1.512 as general average. The return, playing with his left hand, is impressive, but not good enough for Filipos to go on in this World Cup. ,,I don't give up, because billiards is my life and my love.''
The early elimination in Vietnam is not what he aimed for, but Filippos will continue to fight back and grow stronger every day. ,,I decided to play with my left hand one year ago'', he told us in Ho Chi Minh. ,,My feeling is that I am getting better every day. I practice five hours every day and will play all the World Cups this year. All matches, both in Greece and internationally, make me better and stronger. I don't know where it will take me in the future, but I enjoy my game again, that's the most important. I thank my sponsors Theory and Sivissidis billiards, because they support me in my new start.''
Kasidokostas lost his first match unlucky against one of the Nguyen's, 30-29, but repaired well in his match against Sang-Ku Kang with 10 from the break, eight in the fifth inning and a victory with 30-21 in 11 innings. That surely was one of the highlights of the day.
Hyung Mook Lim, who plays his fifth World Cup in Vietnam, was the star of the day in his match against young Japanese Yusuke Mori. The Korean started 12-6-6 (24 in 3 innings) and won the match 30-7 in 8 innings. That brought Lim into the top three of the day ranking with 4 match points and 2.000 average. He was not even the best player on the second day. The Vietnamese Duc Minh Tran and the Korean Sung Uk Oh both finished with 4 points and 2.222, the Vietnamese had a better run (10). Sam van Etten, the young, well known balk-line player, also went on in his first World Cup on the second day. The Dutchman led his group with two victories. Gülsen Degener continues in the tournament by beating the Japanese Ryouko Kobayashi. Dutchman Volkan Cetin made the best run on the second day (15), but was eliminated with two match points.
It was again a day of Korean (7 group winners) and Vietnamese (6) force, with only Michael Carlsen (Deen), Sam van Etten and Gülsen Degener as Europeans in the top sixteen. The Korean In-Won Kang, with three match points, was best runner-up ahead of Filippos Kasidokostas with two points and 1.512.
Filippos Kasidokostas: ,,I will fight to come back, the World Cups make me better and stronger.''
Tomorrow, Wednesday, again higher seeded players come into the tournament. The most appealing groups:
Birol Uymaz-Sam van Etten-Duc Anh Chien Nguyen
Martin Horn-Trung Hau Do Nguyen-Young Min Lee
Gülsen Degener-Tatsuo Arai-Chi Yeon Cho
Jean Paul de Bruijn-Hao Tri Vo-Ali Kemal Gunaydin
Tolgahan Kiraz-Sangeun Sung-Kostas Kokkoris
Arnim Kahofer-Murat Celik-Tuan Khanh Nguyen
Glenn Hoffman-Therese Klompenhouwer-Minh Tien Vuong.
The day ranking on Tuesday:
1 Duc Minh Tran 4-2.222-10
2 Sung Uk Oh 4-2.222-8
3 Hyung Mook Lim 4-2.000-12
4 Quoc Thuan Pham 4-1.578-5
5 Minh Thien Vuong 4-1.276-7
6 Tuan Khanh Nguyen 4-1.250-9
7 Ra Hee Kim 4-1.250-8
8 Sung Il Jeong 4-1.224-10
9 Sangeun Sung 4-1.224-5
10 Dongjun Park 4-1.200-8
11 Hao Tri Vo 4-1.090-5
12 Michael Carlsen 4-1.071-5
13 Quang Anh Nguyen 4-1.000-6
14 Sam van Etten 4-0.983-6
15 Young Min Lee 3-1.363-10
16 Gülsen Degener 2-0.962-5.
Hyung Mook Lim, two days in top three of the rankings