3-Cushion
PORTO - The resounding victory of Dick Jaspers in the semifinals against Frédéric Caudron (3-0) showed that the reigning champion has grown to a great form in Porto. The Dutchman can quietly watch the other semi final between Torbjörn Blomdahl and Eddy Merckx and prepare for the final.
Dick Jaspers finished his last three matches against Frédéric Caudron as loser. Those matches were all in team competitions, twice in French championship, once in an absolute top match in the Dutch championship. Jaspers always says that he sees billiard purely as an individual sport, not as a team sport. It may be a reason why he was in such a great form with 3-0 and 2.812 average this morning, in a match which was so important to prolong his European title and to maintain his status in the world ranking.
Jaspers himself was modest as usual: ,,I have availed my chances to score, but I have to play another major match in the final,'' he said. Frédéric Caudron, who was in a shiny form for months, had some lesser matches in the battle for the European Cup in Strasbourg, but he could not blame himself in the match against Jaspers. He could only admit that Jaspers was superior in the this semifinal. ,,I've played a good tournament, but in this match I had no chance,'' said Caudron.
The match was indeed dominated by Jaspers from the start. He won the first set 15-3 in four innings, the second, after Caudron had a lead of 7-0, ended 15-12 for Jaspers in five innings and the third 15-11 in seven innings. Caudron had an average of 1.857.
Jaspers entered the final with an increase of his form, such as winners do most of the time. The Dutchman played a lesser qualifying round, thereafter defeated Lütfi Cenet in the first match of the first knockout phase with 1.628 average, in the quarterfinals Jaspers played 2.000 against Dani Sánchez and this morning 2.812 against Caudron. The champion certainly is ready for a new title.