4 out of 4 German players win their semi-final matches
Saturday, 28 July 2012: What an amazing performance in the semi-finals of the
straight pool competition of the Dynamic Billiards European Youth Championships!
Juniors Division, race to 100 points:
The first match was the encounter between Wojciech Szewczyk (POL) and Jan-Henrik Wolf (GER). The paper would have probably said that Szewczyk is the favourite player, having in mind all his previous accomplishments. But Wolf had a few words to say to that. Indeed, a 3-foul-penalty and a series of 46 balls gave Wolf a comfortable 59:-4 lead. But Szewczyk was far from giving in. He fought back but could never close the gap. Wolf just played too strong and steady for him today.
The final score was 100:40 for Wolf. "Gladness!â€, was Wolf's answer when asked after the match what his feeling is. "I knew before the match that Wojciech was the favoured player and I would need to play on a very high levelâ€, stated Wolf. "He was a bit unlucky but in the end I also played wellâ€. Wolf will play his fellow countryman Finn Eschment in the final of the straight pool EC.
Eschment made it to the finals with a thrilling win of 100:95 `over Vitaly Pavlukhin (RUS). That match was sheer drama. Pavlukhin was probably also the favoured player and he had a small lead over Eschment. But the gap never got too big. Eschment overtook Pavlukhin who also did not let the German youngster get away too far from him. Towards the end of the match, the drama unfolded. Pavlukhin was leading 94:90 when he missed a makeable ball. Eschment could not capitalize on it and the match stayed open. Pavlukhin pocketed two balls and played a safety on the next break shot, making the score 96:91. It looked like Eschment held the shorter end of the stick. But then Pavlukhin scratched during the upcoming safety play. That was Eschment's chance and he used it! He won the match by a whisker of 100:95 over Pavlukhin. "I think it was a bad match in the endâ€, stated a happy but exhausted Eschment after the match, "I think the luckier guy has won hereâ€.
Pupils Division, race to 75 points:
The semi-final matches in the pupil's division were also very eventful. Joshua Filler (GER) defeated Daniel Tangudd (SWE) 75:50. The match was an up and down for both players. Filler was taking the first lead with 23:5 and things looked promising for him. Then Tangudd shifted into overdrive and made 30 balls, leading 44:25. Filler seemed to be impressed but he stayed focussed. "That was the moment when I took a time out and told myself that I can do betterâ€, said Filler. "I did not want to come out of the match without having tried everything to win itâ€. So he came to the table and made 40 balls to take a 73:48 lead over Tangudd. That broke the young Swede's neck. Tangudd was able to pocket two more balls, before Filler ran out the match and won it with 75:50.
The other semi-final was taking place between Mikolaj Zabecki (POL) and Raphael Wahl (GER). The match was tight at all times and saw Wahl turning out to be the winner, making the score 75:70 in his favour in the end. Wahl will play Filler in the final of the pupil's division.
What a successful day for Germany's pool billiard youth!
The event is 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.epconline.eu , follow us on twitter @EPBF_News or contact our press office.
