3-Cushion
LOMMEL - The golden crown is back on his head, he deserved him as nobody else. Frédéric Caudron won in a quick and stunning finale the Superprestige this evening. The best Belgian in the world ranking defeated his young opponent Peter Ceulemans, capturing the title that he won for the last time in 2007.
The final match was played at the very highest level. Caudron had a start such as only the very best players can do, with runs of 9 and 7 in the first four innings (18-3 advantage).
Ceulemans, who showed in this tournament that was capable of anything, fought back with runs of eleven in the fifth (to 19-14) and eight in the tenth inning, to take a 25-23 lead.
Then came up the final phase with varying odds: in 18 innings the score was 34-34, Ceulemans took the lead again (35-34), but then Caudron attacked and showed his class and strong nerves. He finished the match with four and one, Ceulemans needed five points in the equalizer, but only came to two caroms: 40-37 in 21.
Caudron grabbed with this victory his first big win of this season after a success in an invitational tournament in Argentina and in two ranking tournaments (Merksem and Lier).
Peter Ceulemans just could be very proud of what he demonstrated in Lommel: a great class, coupled with a huge fighting spirit. He showed to grow out to a great ambassador of the family where he comes from. Angèle, his grandmother and wife of Raymond, expressed it so beauiful and full of humor at the end of the tournament. She said: ,,It's a pity that I've become so old now and that my machine is broken, otherwise we would make a few more kids.''