ANTWERP – Belgian billiards fans can look forward to a climax at the three-cushion World championship with two homegrown billiards players. Eddy Merckx and Frédéric Caudron will compete for a place in the final in the semifinals at 12.00 PM and 2.30 PM on Saturday. This World championship is already a huge success for the Belgians, but the home nation naturally hopes to crown one of their players world champion on Saturday evening. Frédéric Caudron meets Austrian outsider Arnim Kahofer in the semifinal. Eddy Merckx will after that face Myung Woo Cho, the current world champion. 60-year-old Frédéric Caudron has won already four world titles from the four final players and has reached the podium four times. Eddy Merckx (57) holds two world titles and has reached the podium seven times. Myung Woo Cho (27) won his first and only world title last year in Vietnam after winning one bronze medal. Arnim Kahofer (51), a debutant in a World Championship final, is preparing for his first podium finish. The last World championship in Belgium saw Frédéric Caudron as the gold medalist in Antwerp.
The three Europeans are experienced players and at an advanced stage of their careers. Myung Woo Cho is seen for several years as the Korean prodigy who, having already won his first world title, leads the global player rankings.
Frédéric Caudron and Arnim Kahofer were the first two players to qualify for the semifinals. The Belgian received passionate cheers from the crowd after defeating German Martin Horn, winner of the World Cup last Sunday, 50-24 in 16 innings. Austrian Arnim Kahofer defeated Jean Paul de Bruijn of the Netherlands 50-39 in 35 innings.
Myung Woo Cho and Eddy Merckx advanced to the semifinals in the early evening. The Korean was the first with a comfortable victory over Polychronopoulos (50-15 in 18/17), Eddy Merckx quickly followed with a victory over Berkay Karakurt (50-19 in 18/17). Myung Woo Cho after eight innings had a quick lead over Polychronopoulos, who excelled in ups and downs at this World championship. Cho needed only 11 innings before the break (25-10). With 8, 6, and a final run of 7, he left the Greek far behind: 50-15 in 18, the Korean's average being 2.777, with a highest run of 8.
Frédéric Caudron faced a furious Martin Horn, who seemed to be quickly outplayed with a 15-1 lead in four innings. These were merely shots across the bow, because Caudron, unafraid of the World Cup winner, quickly gained control with runs of 8, 6, and 8 (29-19 lead), then launched the final sprint with 4, 7, 5, and 3, when Horn finished with 4 zeros and 5 one-pointers: the final score was 50-24 in 16. Eddy Merckx faced little resistance from Berkay Karakurt. For that match later in the evening, the spectators rallied behind his compatriot. Merckx rewarded them with a strong match. He started with 9 and 3, launched the next attack with 5, 8, and 5, and by then had already built a 31-16 lead. The cool-headed Merckx delivered the final blow with 9 and won 50-19 in 18 innings.
Jean Paul de Bruijn had a mediocre start against Kahofer, making only 10 caroms in the first 13 innings. Then the Dutchman cautiously broke free with 7 and caught up with Arnim Kahofer, who is making his first high ranked World championship appearance. The Austrian made a 9 for 40-27, had a few misses, but De Bruijn also couldn't score enough. Kahofer finished with 5 for 50-39 in 35 innings.
TOP SIXTEEN
The seven Europeans still remaining in the tournament on that moment are 2 Belgians, 1 Dutchman, 1 German, 1 Turkish, 1 Austrian, and 1 Greek. The first day's stage, with the top sixteen, ultimately goes to a field of seven Europeans and one Asian. The only player remaining from outside Europe is Myung Woo Cho, the reigning champion. Phuong Vinh Bao, Marco Zanetti, Sameh Sidhom, Jung Han Heo, and Jérémy Bury are being waved off as potential contenders. Martin Horn plays the best match of that round, winning 50-14 in 14 against Thanh Luc Tran.
Jean Paul de Bruijn and Frédéric Caudron survive the afternoon round against Thomas Andersen and Beom Yeol Lee. Jean Paul de Bruijn is in a winning mood after knocking out Dick Jaspers in the first round of the knockouts at this World Championship. The Zeeland billiards player, known for his ups and downs in major tournaments, defeated the relatively unknown Korean Beom Yeol Lee 50-34 in 26 innings just after noon, having led the entire match and closing with runs of 6 and 4 for 50-34. Frédéric Caudron, Martin Horn, and Arnim Kahofer were the other winners in the first afternoon session in the round of 16. Caudron defeated Dane Thomas Andersen, who had previously won against Peter Ceulemans and Tasdemir. Caudron won, thanks in part to three runs of 5, 50-27 in 27.
Martin Horn is in excellent form after his World Cup victory last weekend. The German won with, among other things, two runs of 10, one of 8, and one of 7 against Vietnamese Thanh Luc Tran, achieving the best score of the day so far: 50-14 in 14, averaging 3.571.
Eddy Merckx, like Caudron, is incredibly strong in front of his home crowd. He demonstrated this in his match against Sameh Sidhom, in which both made a run of 10, with Merckx ultimately winning 50-31 in 24.
Myung Woo Cho decided the last of the session with 8 in his favor against Jérémy Bury, the Frenchman who was capable of some excellent matches at this World Championship. Two 7’s from Cho in the first eight innings give him a margin that isn't yet decisive: 24-14 in 10. Bury closes the gap to 31-27, then breaks the French resistance in the Korean's last nine innings, who only makes short runs and wins 50-38 in 23 innings.
Austrian Arnim Kahofer defeats a renowned Korean, Jung Han Heo, 50-40 in 28 innings and eyes a high ranking in a World Cchampionship for the first time.
Nick Polychronopoulos was the worst of all the winners a day ago and almost the best today. He is the superior winner against Marco Zanetti for a place in the top eight. That's quite a difference from a day ago, when the Greek whirlwind struggled to beat Egyptian Abdin 50-48 in 56 innings. Now, Polychronopoulos, with a better start (6, 4, 5, 5, and 6), puts his opponent Zanetti up 29-12 in 8. The final score is 50-24 (19).
Berkay Karakurt dashes the illusions of Phuong Vinh Bao, the last of the Vietnamese players to have a high-profile World championship behind him, but fell short against Karakurt: 50-38 in 25.
Frédëric Caudron, winner over Martin Horn, the World Cup winner
Myung Woo Cho does another attempt to take the world title
Arnim Kahofer, so happy with his semi final spot after beating Jean Paul de Bruijn