Jasmin Ouschan and Drago out

Friday, 20 April 2012: In a tough match on the loser's side, "The Terminator" Niels Feijen (NED) finished Ruslan Chinakhov (RUS) with 8:5.

The encounter of the two top players was pretty equal until the beginning of the 6th rack. The score was 3:2 in favour of Feijen and none of the two had committed any serious mistake as of yet. When Chinakhov broke the balls in the 6th rack, he scratched. That gave Feijen the chance to get a two-point advantage over Chinakhov. Just when it looked like Feijen got momentum, he tried to play a safety shot after his own break and surprisingly the cue ball scratched. That in turn brought Chinakhov back to the table and the Russian needed no second invitation. He ran the rack and won the next one with his own break to tie the match at 4:4. In the 9th rack, Chinakhov played a weak safety shot and admitted Feijen to run the rack which again gave some momentum to the Dutchman. Then the 10th rack delivered the deciding situation for the match. Chinakhov broke the balls and none went in. However, he left a very bad position for Feijen. Niels Feijen played a push out and Chinakhov passed it back to him. Then Feijen fired a jump shot over the whole table and pocketed the 1-ball in the called pocket. What a shot! Feijen ran the rack and when he pocketed the 10-ball to get a 6:4 lead over Chinakhov, even his opponent applauded. Then Feijen took a time out. The next rack was again Chinakhov's and the score went to 6:5, still in favour of Feijen. In the 12th rack, Chinakhov decided to go for a bank shot after the break but he missed it. That was the chance the Feijen needed. He showed no mercy and pocketed all balls and went on the hill, leading 7:5. The final rack was again decided by a situation where Chinakhov went for a shot where he might have played a safety. He tried to jump the 1-ball in the side pocket after Feijen played a push-out but he hit the nose of the pocket. Feijen got position and ran another rack, winning the match with 8:5. "I'm really happy that I'm still in", said a modest Niels Feijen in an interview right after the match. "I have a very tough draw and I need to perform very good in order to stay alive in the tournament". "I gave away my last match and I had to get back mentally; that's what I did and I'm happy with that". "The quality of the field of the Euro-Tour is so wide these days. Players from all over Europe have improved so much that winning a match here is never easy," stated Feijen. "I got momentum in the match first and I gave it away with that weird scratch that I played in the 7th rack," Feijen analysed, "but I played very good from 4:4 and I'm looking forward to my next matches now".

Other notable results from this morning include Jasmin Ouschan (AUT) being ousted by I var Saris (NED) with 7:8. Also Tony Drago (MLT) is on his way home early. He lost his match against Roman Hybler (CZE) with 7:8. Huidji See (NED) ended Richard Jones' (GBR) dreams of another Euro-Tour title for the time being. He defeating the British clearly with 8:3.

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