1-Cushion
CERVERA -The gold medal in the World Cup in Vienna with an incredible world record and the win in the European championship have shown that Frédéric Caudron is the best billiard player of the season end. The 43-year old Belgian has been in its very best form for months. He demonstrated his mastership again in Cervera this afternoon.
He faced in the final of the European championship another monument in one cushion. The Dutchman Jean Paul de Bruijn was chasing his seventh European title, but was stopped by a superior Caudron.
The Belgians started the final battle with runs of 43 and 44 and made a gap of 87-27 after two innings. His opponent couldn't answer and was put with his back to the wall. Caudron dominated the whole match, took a 108-42 advantage after three innings and won 150-48 in 6 innings.
The performance was good for his seventh European title, with which he passed De Bruijn. The two players had never met before in the final of an European title race.
After the match Caudron said that his start had been crucial. ,,I took a big lead, but on the other hand it was very good for my confidence in the final.'' Moreover the Belgian felt very well on the table where the final was played. ,,I've played a couple of minor matches on the tables which were worse than the other two'', he said.
Caudron concluded that the two best players had seeded for the final. ,,Alain Remond and the Spaniard Espinaza also showed that they're able to play this game very well. The elimination of Wolfgang Zenkner by Bernard Baudoin was the biggest surprise.''
Jean Paul de Bruijn had expected more from the final, but nevertheless was pleased with his place on the podium. ,,I'm happy with my second place,'' he said. ,,Caudron is a great cushion player. I knew that I only had a chance to beat him when I was in my best form today. But I was not. I missed two or three chances to make a high run at the start of the match. Fred has punished me immediately for those mistakes.''
Caudron finished the tournament with 16.81 average 16.81, De Bruijn played 12.65. Caudron equalized his previous European record in Wychen 2009.
The Belgian allrounder won his five previous titles in the European championship one cushion in Bottrop (1990), Mondorf (1991), Wychen (1997), Carvin (2008) and Wychen (2009).