SEOUL - Two of the most obvious contenders and two outsiders meet each other in the semi-finals of the World championship three-cushion, tomorrow (Sunday) in Seoul. Torbjörn Blomdahl and Sung-Won Choi are the favorites for gold, Jean Paul de Bruijn and Hyun Min Seo the challengers.
The matches for tomorrow, Sunday (Korean time):
11.00 pm: Sung-Won Choi-Hyun-Min Seo
13.00: Torbjörn Blomdahl-Jean Paul de Bruijn.
The last sessions in the quarters were dominated by the Swedish four times world champion Blomdahl and Dutchman Jean Paul de Bruijn, who played one time in his career the World's final in the Spanish Lugo in 2005, where he lost the contest for gold vs Dani Sánchez.
Torbjörn Blomdahl defeated in the semis one of his strong Korean rivals. Jae Ho Cho, who outplayed Frédéric Caudron in the previous round, had really gaven his best and could rarely glitter against Blomdahl, who won 40-26 in 22, 1,818 / 1,182. Jean Paul de Bruijn had a promising start in his first eight innings, giving him a 14-4 lead. Tasdemir fought back with 10 (18-18), then went straight up with De Bruijn, until the Dutchman attacked around the 14th inning for a decisive sprint: first 34-24 and after a few high-tension innings 40-32 in 21 (1.905 /1.524).
The Dutch captain for now at this World championship is enjoying his performance in Seoul very well. ,,I feel great and am really looking forward to the final day'', he said after his match against Tasdemir. ,,The billiards are very good, the atmosphere is somewhat less than at the World Cup in Guri. I think the organization has not made a good promotion. Only hundred meters from the venue is a billiard club, where they do not even know that a World championship is played here.''
Jean Paul de Bruijn and Torbjörn Blomdahl are in the semi-finals
Because of its place in the semi-finals, Jean Paul de Bruijn is close to the world's top twelve already. ,,We'll see what happens, but if I perform well, I will soon come closer to the top.''
De Bruijn and Blomdahl didn't meet not so often in three-cushion in recent years. In the last three matches, the Swede won twice 3-0 in the Matosinhos World Cup and the Dutch Cup final in Zundert. The Bruyn defeated Blomdahl in the league three years ago 50-37.