3-Cushion
ANTALYA - He could laugh again after his match, Dutchman Patrick Vasseur, who started off in the Antalya World Cup today. But what a strange match it had been, what a crazy incident during the match against his young compatriot Jordy de Kruyf, whom he beat with 30-10 in 32 innings.
On the halfway point, the Dutchman went to the toilet and when he came back, one of the Turkish organizers almost removed him from the table. ,,He said to me that I had not payed my fee for the tournament.''
But there was no doubt: Patrick Vasseur, the 31-year-old Zeeuw, had neatly paid in advance. ,,There was some commotion in the room, he said: you must pay. I told him: me, I did it... Come on.''
He could continue the match, but was disturbed in his rhythm a few minutes later because of another strange incident. ,,The score keeper suddenly began to speak in his mobile, as if we were playing a funny game in a bar.''
Patrick Vasseur had a little slump after a nice start, with a run of eight, an opponent who could not score at all (,,I was 25-4 on the lead'') and a victory which should open the way to next round. Tonight at 20:00 (Turkish time) he meets the Turk Tolgahan Kiraz, who played 1.350 in the Turkish prelims yesterday.
The World Cup in Antalya has been launched officially today: occasionally with some problems with the lights above the tables, sometimes the level was pretty high (1.500, 1.700), sometimes with matches around 0.200 and 0.300 average.
Johann Schirmbrand and Adam Özcelik were the stars in the first sessions: both with a 30 points match in 17 innings (1,764).
The Koran Chi Yeon Cho impressed with 1.428, Ibrahim Muslu with 1.500, Bo Gustavsson finished in 22 innings and Patrick Vasseur in 33 (0.909).
,,That's my best match in World Cups so far,'' said the fresh-manager at Sligro food group, who belonged to the bar staff during the World Cups in Sluiskil.
He played himself five times there: ,,My best match was against Murat Tüzül, who is still a friend of mine. He won with 1.300, I lost 0.900.''
His friends, Berry Dallinga and Koen Saver, also started the tournament in Antalya with a win. ,,Therefor the start is even more pleasant,'' said Vasseur, who's playing in the Netherlands in the Verbrugge Hyunday team with Ludo Dielis, Therese Klompenhouwer, Bart Ceulemans and Berry Dallinga.
,,We are all here, only Ludo is not playing here. And we're going for a wonderful week. The hotel is fantastic, the food delicious, only the weather is not that good. Lots of rain, fifteen degrees. But what does it matter. We are on holiday and want to play and to see billiards.''