Defending Champion Ederer loses his opening match
Thursday, 04 August 2011: Today, the first rounds of the 9-ball competition will be played in all divisions. Then, starting 17:00 local time the 8-ball quarter finals, semi-finals and finals will be played.
In the juniors division, the defending Champion Manuel Ederer (GER) lost his opening match by a hair's breadth to Marek Kudlik (POL) with 7:8. Ederer had a walk over in the first round so this was his first appearance in the 9-ball competition being the defending Champion. He had a tough draw with the Polish kid Kudlik who opened his account before Ederer, gaining a 1:0 lead. Then, both players took turns in winning racks, not letting the opponent get a big advantage. It was at a score of 5:4 in favour of Kudlik when Ederer made a mistake and allowed Kudlik a 2-rack lead. Kudlik even widened that gap and went on the hill with a comfortable 7:4 lead. Everything looked like a done deal for Kudlik. But Ederer, who is not playing on his top level this week, got some momentum and won rack after rack, tying the match at 7:7. Then he took a time out. After that, he came back to the table but he could not stop Kudlik anymore. The Polish player sunk the final 9-ball and snatched the match from Ederer, winning 8:7. Ederer is now going to the loser's side of the chart, trying to make it still into the final 16 single elimination stage.
Other notable results from today include Mario He (AUT) destroying Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) with 8:1. Lars Kuckherm (GER) defeated newly crowned straight pool champion Bence Varga (HUN) with 8:2. Marc Bijsterbosch (NED), runner-up to Varga in straight pool this week, just made it over Leonid Klishchar (UKR) with 8:7.
The European Championships are hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.epbf.com , follow us on twitter @EPBF_News or contact our press office.
