3-Cushion
NEW YORK - He was already the best in the world and the leading player of this generation in billiards. The 50-year old Belgian Frédéric Caudron now also won the most prestigious tournament in New York on Saturday, with the biggest prize money ever in the history of three cushion. At the end of the McCreery 3 Cushion Champion of Champions, the honour, the glory and the dollars were for Caudron. The world champion defeated another Belgian celebrity in the final, Eddy Merckx, 50-35 in 23-22 innings. The winner earned 155.000 dollar, the losing finalist 100.000. On stage were also the Dutchman Dick Jaspers (70.000) and the Turkish Semih Sayginer (60.000 dollars).
The apotheosis of the tournament was bent to his hand by Frédéric Caudron with three high runs in the middle part of the game and at the end. Eddy Merckx led 17-12 after ten innings when Caudron immediately attacked with 9. Merckx again took a minimal lead with 6 and 3 (27-26). The final touch was for Caudron again with 7 (38-34) and 9 (47-35) and finally 50-35.
The champion of the champion gala then received the trophy with the fan of red roses from UMB chairman Farouk Barki and tournament leader Charles Brown. In his commentary, the winner said: ,,I didn't feel much stress, playing for that big money. We don't think about that during the game, I just focus to my game. After the stop I felt better than at the start and came into my rhythm. The two runs at the end were decisive for the victory.'' Eddy Merckx was a loser with a big smile: ,,I am a very happy person'', the winner of two previous big tournaments closed the McCreery.
The New York tournament, with its many, spectacular innovations, turned out the spotlights with a sober ceremony: no stage, no glitter and glamor for the winners. Frédéric Caudron lifted the immense trophy with the fan of red roses in front of the cameras. Farouk Barki said in a short speech on behalf of co-organizer UMB: ,,I may not be the best UMB chairman ever, but I'm proud to be the chairman when this historic McCreery event is organized.'' Then, the company went to the gala dinner to conclude the successful tournament in style.
Frédéric Caudron eventually scored the best average of all twelve players (1.980) ahead of Dick Jaspers with 1.868 and Sung-Won Choi with 1.759. At the end of the regular competition, Dick Jaspers was the front runner followed by Semih Sayginer, Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx. The Korean HaengJik Kim and the Italian Marco Zanetti just missed the top four positions. Zanetti played an exceptional tournament: he lost the first four matches and then won his last seven matches.
The cross finals with the best four:
Eddy Merckx-Dick Jaspers 50-28 in 22/21
The slump of Dick Jaspers, after a superior day with victories over Caudron and Merckx, couldn't come at a worse moment. The first showdown on the final day turned into a walk-over for Eddy Merckx and a torture for Jaspers. The Belgian/Dutch clash was a one-way match. The phenomenon of the summer months was eager to take his revenge for the loss on the day before, but was offered an easy match. Merckx launched his first attack after a sober start (15-8 in 12), ran away from Jaspers at 23-11 (14) and handed out the knock-out with twelve (35-11) one inning later. The Dutchman didn't look for excuses afterwards: his highest run in the first fifteen innings was 2! In the final, Jaspers had one brief rebound with six, the final score left no doubt: 50-28.
Dick Jaspers commented: ,, We both were not that good at the start. The wait was on the first player who mades a high run. Merckx did it, I could not. I had too many mistakes, could not get into my rhythm and therefore lacked confidence.'' Eddy Merckx, who fisted up the right hand after the winning point, was short in his reaction: ,,I wanted revenge for the loss to Jaspers on the previous day and I got it. That run of twelve was decisive for the match.''
Frédéric Caudron-Semih Sayginer 50-24 in 19/18
The peak in Frédéric Caudron's performance came just in time, Semih Sayginer couldn't keep up with the Belgian in the race to the final. From the start, the match was in favour of Caudron, who already had a lead after five innings by 6, 10 and 4 runs (26-16) and with two runs shortly after the break (6 and 4), Caudron ran out to 36-22 in 10. Semih's counter was promising, but faltered in the last eight innings to the finish, when the Turk could only score twice. Therefore, Caudron could grab his chance to decide the match. The Belgian, after a lesser day on Friday, was excellent now, both offensive and in his defense playing.
Semih Sayginer certainly had shown that he's at the gate of the world stage with his wonderful performance in McCreery. He showed it recently by his final place in the World Cup in Blankenberge. Frédéric Caudron had a strong run-up to the new clash with Eddy Merckx, the big money man so far.
The best overall average is for Frédéric Caudron with 1.980, the best match for HaengJik Kim (10 innings, 4.000), the highest run for Eddy Merckx (19). The three laureates were rewarded by 5.000 dollars.
The final ranking at McCreery:
1 Frédéric Caudron 18-1.980-18
2 Eddy Merckx 16-1.721-19
3 Dick Jaspers 16-1.868-16
4 Semih Sayginer 16-1.717-13
5 Marco Zanetti 14-1.526-12
6 HaengJik Kim 12-1.671-13
7 Sung-Won Choi 10-1.759-12
8 Dani Sánchez 10-1.732-12
9 Pedro Piedrabuena 10-1.546-11
10 Torbjörn Blomdahl 8-1.504-14
11 Hugo Patiño 6-1.376-15
12 Raymond Ceulemans 2-1.076-7.
The prize ranking (with the additional primes):
1 Frédéric Caudron, 155.000 dollar
2 Eddy Merckx, 100.000
3 Dick Jaspers 70.000
4 Semih Sayginer 60.000
5 Marco Zanetti, 45.000
6 HaengJik Kim, 45.000
7 Sung-Won Choi, 35.000
8 Dani Sánchez, 30.000
9 Pedro Piedrabuena, 26.000
10 Torbjörn Blomdahl, 23.000
11 Hugo Patiño, 19.000
12 Raymond Ceulemans, 15.000.