3-Cushion
WONJU - The Dutch world nr. 1 Dick Jaspers has crowned the longest and most gruelling tournament in his long billiard career with the best and best prize money in his sporting history. The jackpot at the World 3Cushion Grand Prix in Wonju, Korea, was won by the Dutch star player. On this Sunday afternoon, Jaspers received the trophy and the 100.000.000 Korean Won cheque, calculated, 74.000 Euro, from Farouk Barki, the president of UMB world federation. On the podium of honour were also two Koreans, Bong-ju Hwang and Jun Tae Kim and the Swedish world champion Torbjörn Blomdahl.
Dick Jaspers won the final of the tournament with an unexpected supremacy. The match to three set wins was a quick one and a shorty for the Dutchman: 18-3 in 10 innings, 17-11 in 8 and 23-4 in 7 innings. Japers average in the final: 2,320. The average of the Korean outsider: 0,720. ''My opponent, who played a great tournament, could not live up to the expectations in the final'', Jaspers said later. ''He was so sad about it, to be honest, that he had to shed a tear.''
''I had a good grip on him from the very start of the final'', said Jaspers, who could climb the highest stage with a big smile after his six-week stay in Korea. ''The Koreans in the final were tough opponents. I lost to both of them in the last group. That Hwang, a totally unknown guy, had beaten me. So I was warned and I put him under a lot of pressure in the final match.'' That happened, Jaspers confessed, with a lucky shot now and then. ''ut in the end, I played a nice final with a high average. Like I did the whole tournament. In the three groups with eight players, in the qualifications and in the final group, I finished first every time. So, I can say that I am the deserved winner.''
Dick Jaspers looks back on a tough, a gruelling, but most of all a long and demanding tournament. ''In total, I played 22 matches in the 18 days of the Grand Prix, first in the qualification, then in the final group and finally in the final match. It was very tough, especially mentally, because we played every match with the knife between our teeth. It was all about winning, to be among the best, because everyone was highly motivated and sharp to come far in the tournament.''
''Actually, I don't even feel tired'', Jaspers outlined his feeling after the final. ''But the enormous tension has had its grip on me as well. What a tournament this was, what a fight. And I can say now: I succeeded brilliantly. This was by far the longest tournament I have ever played. I did a lot for it, trained a lot, all year long. Of course, I was one of the main contender. I really liked to start billiards again after that year, I really wanted to win here. The reward is great. I am happy to go home, like everyone else, and to have won a huge prize. That made it all worthwhile.''
Over 22 matches, Jaspers recorded 17 victories, 1 draw and 4 defeats and an overall average of 2,308 (best runs 20 and 19). The final was between the number one of the world ranking and the number 450, 38-year-old Korean Hwang, who has never played internationally and was the big revelation of this Grand Prix. Yet, Hwang was almost inconsolable after the final: when Jaspers showed his great joy, Hwang was hiding his face in his chair.''
Korean Jun Tae finished third in this World 3C Grand Prix after playing in a fortnight and 23 matches: 16 wins, 1 draw and 6 losses and an overall average of 1,861. He beat Torbjörn Blomdahl in the first match for the play-offs 2-1 (26-7 in 8, 13-21 in 8, 12-7 in 4), but lost in the second match to Hwang 2-1.
Torbjörn Blomdahl finished 4th with 22 games played: 14 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses with an overall average of 1,844. Blomdahl leaves this Korean adventure with a prize of 25 million won, equivalent to 18,000 euros. The number two was rewarded with 50 million won (37,000 euro), the number three with 25 million won.
The 4 Turkish players in the last 8 are in the last 4 places. Semih Sayginer is 5th with 1,833 (10 wins, 2 draws, 9 losses) and receives 13,000 euro. Lütfi Cenet is 6th (6-3-8) with 1,778 and receives 11,000 euro, Murat Naci Coklu is 7th (12-0-9) with 1,990 overall and receives 9,000 euro. Tayfun Tasdemir is 8th with 1,963 (balance 10-1-10) and receives 7,500 euro.
Some remarkable results: best run for Lütfi Cenet with 23 (1.480 euros). Best score in a 25 minutes set with 36 for Tayfun Tasdemir (750 euro), best individual average for Dion Nelin with 4,000 or 44 points in 11 innings (1.500 euro).
The winner of the second final group was Choong-bok Lee (3.300 euros).
The final ranking of the last final group with 8 players:
1 Dick Jaspers 15-2,173-13
2 Bong-ju Hwang 15-1,869-9
3 Jun Tae Kim 13-1,757-12
4 Torbjörn Blomdahl 12-1,822-11
5 Semih Sayginer 10-1,884-12
6 Lütfi Cenet 7-1.654-10
7 Murat Naci Coklu 6-1,723-10
8 Tayfun Tasdemir 4-2,000-18
Dick Jaspers with the trophy
Dick Jaspers, the very best in this Korean Grand Prix and deserved winner
The podium at the Grand Prix with Jaspers and the two Koreans
Jaspers receive the trophy from UMB president Farouk Barki
Korean Hwang, no chance in final match, great performance in Grand Prix