Look back on World Cup tournament Vienna

In the fourth world cup tournament, held in the Stadthalle in the centre of the beautiful Vienna, I really wanted to take my shot. Don't ask me why here in Austria, but I didn't get to a world cup final in 2011 and with Hurghada in sight as final tournament, I wanted to get the best out of my self. No matter what.

Eventually I made it to the semi finals, where I fought to the last second. But I lost in the end with a sensational 5-setter. It comforted me that I made more points than my opponent and ended with a strong average of 2.060. Blomdahl only had 1.656 points. It was actually a little awkward, this big difference in averages, but that's all possible in sets. But you got to look at it like this; you need to win 3 out of 5. My fellow Gabriels-boy Frédéric Caudron played an excellent tournament, which I find so nice. He won and broke a world record with 2.420! The previous record, made in 1998 in a world cup tournament in the Belgian place Hooglede, stood on my name with 2.314.

Caudron placed the new world record on the newest Gabriels table; the Imerator Kronos, which will be placed in my house soon. The tables are amazing, the averages only prove that. Nobody could ask for better publicity. It may be clear that I have a very special bond with this tournament in Vienna. I went home feeling great, because I don't play that average of 2.210 every day! Winning a world tournament is always tough, and it only gets harder with all the players developing in such a technical way. So can I be satisfied with reaching the semi finals in a tournament like that? Yes and no. As an professional sportsman you can never be satisfied too soon, but you have to put it in perspective. The year 2011 is already a great year for me. I Won the European Championship in Porto and won the World Title far away in Lima. And that last tournament was played on.. again the world famous Gabriels tables.