3-Cushion
KAATSHEUVEL - The final of the Masters 2014, where Dick Jaspers will meet Jean Paul de Bruijn on Sunday, will be the climax of a tournament that can already be called an outstanding success. Kaatsheuvel in Brabant, known for its fairy-tale theme park was host to tough battles for three days. On the Saturday evening, it welcomed the greatest billiard player of all time, the living legend, Raymond Ceulemans.
The organizers of the Masters announced that the tournament will be played in this venue for two more years at least, that the contract with main sponsor Biljartpoint has been extended and the prize money for the players will be raised to 15.000 euro.
,,We are as proud as two-tail monkeys'', said Ad Smout, speaking also on behalf of Harry Mathijssen. ,,Our goal was to take this tournament to a higher level over the course of three years, but we have basically achieved that already. I thank the players, the KNBB, and most of all this wonderful crowd.''
The two best players who are left standing after flights, quarter finals and semifinals will meet in a match that can surely be called a classic in Dutch 3-cushion. Dick Jaspers is the 15-fold title holder, Jean Paul de Bruijn the reigning champion, eager to stay on top.
Dick Jaspers won his semi against Jean van Erp by 50-31 (24), having had the lead the entire match thanks to runs of 9 (8th inning) and 7 (17th inning). His confidence and class were obvious, as it was from day one. He wants this title, that he sees as his own.
Jean Paul de Bruijn and Jeffrey Jorissen went neck and neck for most of the match: 16-10 after 15 to the Zeeuw, after the break the chances went back and forth but the lead was never decisive.
The all-out attack came at 37-32 to De Bruijn, when he ran a 10 to make it 47-32. Jorissen could not recover from that blow, and had to shake hands at 50-41 in 33 innings.
Nevertheless, Jorissen was the revelation of the tournament. Last year he bluffed: "I want to go one step further year by year. This year the quarters, next year the semis.'' He made good on that promise. ,,That means that I will be in the final next year, and that I'll win it the year after'', he said with bravado.
Quarter finals
Jorissen's victory over van Beers in the quarters, following a flight stage where he only lost to fellow The Hague resident Hofman, came about late. His opponent from Brabant had the better start (19-11) and the match turned into a grind until the 15th inning.
From there on, Jorissen dominated his rival with short but frequent little runs: four times three, twice a four and on to the finish line with four, four and three from 33-27. High run specialist Van Beers could only boast a six once (second inning) but was unable to impress later on.
Jean van Erp was happy as a clam after his gritty win over Glenn Hofman. The man from Brabent stayed ahead of his opponent by two points, after Hofman had missed from the spots in the equalizing inning. ,,I had not expected this anymore'', glowed van Erp afterwards.
,,I was about to hit myself, when I had a 10 point lead and missed when I was on a 9-run. It was such an open chance that I missed. I lost it for a while, and allowed Glenn back into the match. At the end, we were both too tight, luckily I was the one who could finish it.
Dick Jaspers and Jean Paul de Bruijn were the convincing winners in their matches against Martien van der Spoel and Harrie van de Ven. A spent Van der Spoel had no chance at all against Jaspers, who put him on an embarrassing 5 - 1 after 10 innings (final score 40-20 in 25).
Jean Paul de Bruijn was solid as a rock against Harrie van de Ven, who had a 13-9 lead after 5 innings, but got a lesson in effective from an opponent who scored consistently to win 40-26 in 24.
The new organization of the Masters had invited Raymond Ceulemans for the saturday evening as their guest of honor. The greatest billiard player of all time entertained the crowd with a number of anecdotes from half a century of unrivalled successes.
The legendary Belgian was back on historic ground for an evening: he won his first European title in 3-cushion in De Efteling (in Kaatsheuvel), in a final against Austrian Johann Scherz in 1962. It was the first title in a long and rich career, that took the billiard legend to cities like Buenos Aires, Tokio, Antwerpen, Las Vegas, Lima and Caïro voerde.
For his entertaing stories, his career, and his demonstration that concluded the evening, Ceulemans was given a standing ovation. The two semifinal losers were challenged with an "impossible" position on the table, and whoever made the first point was rewarded by sponsor Biljartpoint with five hundred euro. It was Jeffrey Jorissen who made the point and took home the cash.