LAS VEGAS - The match room in the luxury hotel in Las Vegas is gearing up for a final fight between two South Europeans and two South Koreans. In the famous gambling paradise, in the middle of the desert, Koreans Haeng Jik Kim and Jun Tae Kim meet first at 11.00 (8.00pm Saturday night in Western Europe, 4.00am Sunday morning in Seoul), followed by Turkish world champion Tayfun Tasdemir against Italian Marco Zanetti at 1.30pm (10.30pm Western Europe, 6.30am in Seoul). All South Americans, Vietnamese, Dutch, Spanish, Belgians, Germans and Africans have already been eliminated from the final podium and must watch the final games.
Most spectacular in the quarter-finals on Friday night was the match between Marco Zanetti and Eddy Merckx. Zanetti's quick start with 7 gave him an immediate lead, at the end the strong-playing Italian shone with a final 16 sprint, leaving Eddy Merckx, who had a best run of 4, without a chance: 50-33 in 19/18 innings. In the other three matches for the quarters, the margin was quite big as well. Jun Tae Kim even won 50-23 against Torbjörn Blomdahl in 18/17 innings with a best run of 5 for Blomdahl.
Haeng Jik Kim had a slightly better start than Myung Woo Cho in the interesting Korean battle. The world-ranked numbers 10 and 13, from whom Myung Woo Cho won the last (and his first) World Cup in Sharm El Sheikh, kept each other in balance until 23-20 in 10. Haeng Jik Kim sprinted to the finish line with runs of 5, 5 and 8, Cho stopped scoring and finished on a generous margin, 50-29. The last Turk in this World Cup, Tayfun Tasdemir, faced the last Vietnamese, Duc Anh Chien Nguyen, scored a 5 and an 8 in the first 10 innings (17-13), kept the margin over 10 points and finished against the trounced Vietnamese 50-30 in 27 innings.
The stretch for those quarter-finals, with the best 16, featured the best Myung Woo Cho against his seasoned compatriot Jung Han Heo. The youngest of the Koreans made a gap with 9, built it later with 13 and triumphed generously with 50-32 in 19. Vietnamese Phuong Vinh Bao found his Waterloo after a superb tournament, in which Dick Jaspers, among others, faced his high class. The Vietnamese clash between Duc Anh Chien Nguyen and Vinh Bao was a bridge too far for the former economic student. He was floored 50-43 in 38 innings. That round was also the last performance for Dani Sánchez, who fell to Kim after a weak start from both (13-10 Sánchez in 10). The Korean finished the match with 6, three times 4 and 13 in the 15th innings and a long run to the final line: 50-31 in 28/27.
Torbjörn Blomdahl, who was so ruthless to Tran, was himself slaughtered by Jun Tae Kim in this round. The Swede later commented: ’’I was happy a few times, for instance when I qualified with 1 win and 2 losses. I'm happy with my average as well, not with the match against Jun Tae Kim, because I couldn't really play defensively. I always left good positions, unlike the match against Tran.''
Marco Zanetti delivered the verdict for Martin Horn in a drawn-out match, in which the German scored three zeros and three 1 points in his last six innings: 50-41 in 36. Eddy Merckx had the biggest margin of those eight games playing against Jeong. The Korean was left far behind with 50-13 in 24. Peter Ceulemans, the second Belgian still at that stage in this round, had no recourse against Jun Tae Kim, whom he had to let go after a six in the second inning and he could no longer threaten after his superb form in the previous rounds. Tayfun Tasdemir won the Turkish battle with his compatriot Berkay Karakurt (50-38 in 24).
Marco Zanetti showed an excellent form remaining unbeaten in the pre rounds and then was the better of Martin Horn and Eddy Merckx
Tayfun Tasdemir in the semi finals after win against his compatriot Berkay Karakurt and Vietnamese Nguyen
Haeng Jik Kim, one of two Koreans in the semi finals after wins over Dani Sánchez and Myung Woo Cho
Myung Woo Cho, eliminated by his Korean compatriot Haeng Jik Kim
Peter Ceulemans starts his match against Jun Tae Kim, his last in this World Cup after great event and win against Jaspers
Eddy Merckx starts his match against Korean Jeong, whom he defeated 50-13
Torbjörn Blomdahl in a preview after his elimination: Haeng Jik Kim is my favorite, Marco Zanetti still a master
One of the American referees in action, cleaning the balls