BORDEAUX - The UMB World championship three cushion, which was launched at the Palais des Congrès in Bordeaux today with the final sixteen players, couldn't have wished for better start. The stunning start Jérôme Barbeillon performed, Marco Zanetti's magnificent victory over the reigning world champion Torbjörn Blomdahl, Semih Saygıner, who won the Turkey's clash against Murat Naci Coklu and Haeng-Jik Kim, beating Tayfun Tasdemir: those were the first highlights of the opening day in the main tournament.
The run-up to the main draw of the World championship already showed an incredibly high level with 1.849 of average for the sixteen players that qualified. The first round, with eight players, was the start of a magical tour and showed what the audience is about to expect at this World championship.
Marco Zanetti won in 11 innings (3.636 average), Jérôme Barbeillon in 14 (2.857), Haeng-Jik Kim in 18 (2.222) and Semih Saygıner in 19 innings (2.105). The start of the Frenchman was most really impressive in his match against Huberney Cataño with runs of 8, 10 and 5: showing 23-1 halftime in three innings. The small slump took some innngs, but at the end, Barbeillon was magnificent with 40-17 in 14 innings.
Marco Zanetti had the reigning world champion Torbjörn Blomdahl in his grip from the start. ,,I knew that he would feel more pressure than me, because he will lose the maximum of 120 points here for the ranking'', said Marco after the matc. Zanetti started his attack with ten in the third inning (14-9), made the definitive gap with 4, 7 and 3 and finished with five for a final score 40-21 in 11.
Haeng-Jik Kim and Tayfun Tasdemir were in balance until the stop, in the final stage the Korean ran away from his opponent and secured victory 40-25 in 18.
Semih Saygıner was brilliant in the opening of the match against Murat Naci Coklu and led 23-2 in 8 innings after runs of 6 and 11. The Turkish champion wasn't threatened in the last part, the World Cup winner came back slightly with a run of 9, but couldn't approach Sayginer: 41-25 in 19.
Marco Zanetti defeated the world champion: I wished we always could play in an ambiance like here in Bordeaux
Torbjörn Blomdahl lost his world title in a one-way match with Zanetti
Semih Sayginer is back in business: who knows, maybe I can win the title
Haeng-Jik Kim, the Asian champion, ready for the battle in the finals
Huberney Cataño, strong tournament, no chance against an outstanding Barbeillon
Next matches in the upper half of the schedule:
Sayginer-Barbeillon
Haeng-Jik Kim Zanetti.