3-Cushion
ANTALYA - With a record number of 1495 players, the Turkish billiards federation launched the first Grand Prix individual and Turkish team championship in Antalya. Murat Naci Coklu took victory in the first Grand Prix tournament beating Turgay Orak in the final. The new team FBN Tekstil BSK with Murat Naci Coklu, Tayfun Tasdemir, Gökhan Salman and Can Capak is the team champion. Gülsen Degener won the ladies Grand Prix in Antalya in the final against Güzin Müjde Karakasli. The tournament was played in another hotel than where this year's first World Cup in Antalya will be held.
The men's final turned into a fast match, in which Coklu was the better of Orak 40-29 in 16 innings. In the semi-final, the great match was played between Murat Naci Coklu and Tayfun Tasdemir. Coklu won 40-37 in 19 innings. Turgay Orak won 40-36 in 34 innings in the other semi-final vs Haci Arap Yaman. In the quarter-finals, Ömer Karakurt, Adnan Yüksel, Can Capak and Berkay Karakurt were eliminated by Yaman, Orak, Coklu and Tasdemir. Semih Sayginer lost in the eighth final against Ömer Karakurt 40-21 in 23 innings. Tolgahan Kiraz, who played the best match against Arslan Tuncay (40-16 in 12, run 16) was beaten one round later by Berkay Karakurt 40-36 in 32.
Murat Naci Coklu is after his victory in the first Grand Prix this year's first leader in the Turkish ranking. Four Grand Prix tournaments will be played throughout the season.
Turkish billiards have a new top team for the European Cup named FBN Tekstil BSK from Bursa, sponsored by the big Japanese company Daikin. The team is the successor to Gaziantepspor, the winner of the European Cup two years ago and last year's finalist. Mecidieköy was the number two and will also participate in the Europe Cup preliminaries in Porto. Birol Uymaz, Selim Özden, Ahmet Bayatli and Ilhan Urkut are the players in this team. The top five of the team championship was completed by SK Düzce, SK Modi and Dolunay SK. There were 24 participating teams.
Gülsen Degener won in the ladies the final against Güzin Müjde Karakasli 30-14 in 38. In the semi-finals Aysegül Fendi and Arzu Gök were eliminated.
The finalists on stage at the Turkish Grand Prix in Antalya
The team champion with Tayfun Tasdemir, Murat Naci Coklu, Can Capak and Gökhan Salman
The ladies winner Gülsen Degener with the Turkish federation president Ercan Ersan