3-Cushion
TRABZON - In two days he arrives for the Worldcup in Trabzon in an another attempt to reach his former level. Jean Paul de Bruijn has found his confidence after beating Torbjörn Blomdahl on Sunday for the Dutch league (50-37 in 34). ,,I needed that win, such a match, especially because I never have defeated Torbjörn. This can only help me starting the season with a lot of confidence.''
Jean Paul de Bruijn no longer is focused on the top twelve of the ranking, where he once, after his second place at the World championship in Lugo in 2005, played a prominent role. He now looks from tournament to tournament, from match to match life and finally he has some perspective. ,,In Belgium last week I defeated Rudolph in a strong match, now I even win my match with Blomdahl, it could not come at a better time.''
The Dutch championship pentathlon last month gave him the feeling that he is together with Frédéric Caudron the best allround player in the world. Why he's is dropped on the ranking in three-cushion, he can explaine himself better than anyone else. ,,I probably was blinded by my new love,'' he says. ,,My life was upside down, but luckily I met Anita, my new girlfriend. And then I prefered my relationship for a long time above billiard. That's how I am, still now, but I also feel there is more hunger to the billiard now'', he confesses.
How beautiful were the years when he could battle in Lugo 2005 with the top players in the world: only an amazingly strong Daniel Sánchez beat him in the final for his own crowd. De Bruijn remained in the top for a few years, but these years are over now, he's not longer the second Dutchman behind Dick Jaspers.
But hyet there is a glimmer of hope again. And that Jean Paul de Bruijn is a wonderful player, no one can contradict. The technique is unparalleled in the one cushion, in the balk-line he can still play perfectly on the lines and in the position he wants the balls.
,,I didn't honestly realize that I never beat Blomdahl in my career. Last year in the Dutch league, I was far ahead and I wasted the match at the end. And in five, six other matches, I always lost. I remember only one chance that I could win, in the Worldcup in Istanbul, where I lost 15-13 in the fifth set.''
Yesterday De Bruijn had a 38-17 advantage in 17 innings. ,,There was a moment that it could go wrong in that phase. Fortunately I was able to keep calm and Torbjörn was not at his best.''
He has not seen the glorious performance of Dick Jaspers, later in the seance, making a run of 22 to the end of his match. ,,We were just going to eat something in the room beside. I heard at a certain moment that Dick had eighteen points and we have just seen his last three caroms. Dick said afterwards that there were not so many difficult balls, but in the vision of Jaspers, I think, there are no hard balls anymore.''
Thursday he starts his first World Cup of the year in a group with Nikos Polychronopoulos and a player from the qualifying to come. ,,I will be very fresh at the start and I want nothing more than compete on Saturday and Sunday for the big prizes.''