3-Cushion
THESSALONIKI - He is a remarkable absentee for the time being at the World championships in Bordeaux and in the World Cups. The Greek Filippos Kasidokostas has, as they say, decided for a slight pause in his career, but he participated at the Royal Pro Open in Thessaloniki this weekend. He showed his high class and defeated his countryman and Greek champion Nikos Polychronopoulos in the final 40-29 in 20.
The tournament, played in the Billiard center club in Thessaloniki, welcomed in three days a lot of Greek players and some foreigners, including Peter Ceulemans, Birol Uymaz, John Tijssens, Rui Costa and Henry Ragay to the billiards.
The final day turned out into a Greek battle, after Filippos Kasidokostas had outplayed Henry Ragay in the semifinals 35-7 in 20 and Nikos Polychronopoulos strong Turk Birol Uymaz defeated by 35-27 in 21.
Birol Uymaz showed up in one of the best matches against Kostas Papakonstantinou: 35-15 in 10. And he escaped against the Dutchman John Tijssens in the double knockout 35-34 in 16 innings.
Kasidokostas needed a little luck to beat Kostas Kokkoris (35-34 in 20) and played another outstanding match against Triantos: 35-3 in 17.
Peter Ceulemans was eliminated by Polychronopoulos in the quarterfinals 35-21 in 23. Portuguese Pais lost in that round against Ragay 35-23 in 39.
The tournament, organized by Pavlos Zachariadis from Royal Pro billiard cloths, started with 90 players. The Billiard Center Club, from the owners Nasos Gavrilidis en Alex Ignatidis, has a venue with seven matchtables.
Birol Uymaz and Nikos Polychronopoulos
Rui Costa and Peter Ceulemans