3-Cushion
ANTALYA - After a marathon of matches, started on 25 March, the first Turkish three cushion Grand Prix for men, women and juniors ended today in Antalya. In the men's final Turgay Orak and Lütfi Çenet met each other, Cenet was the winner. In the juniors final, Denizcan Akkoca and Doğukan Çorbacı were facing, Akkoca won the final. In the ladies' final Gülşen Degener was the best over Arzu Gök. The tournament had an overwhelming participation in the men's side with 1504 players. The Grand Prix was played at the Limak Limra hotel im Kemer in Antalya.
The highlight by far was the match that Semih Saygıner won against Omer Karakurt 40-0 in seven innings. Sayginer excelled in that match with a run of 22 in the third inning, the highest score in this Grand Prix. But in the eighth final, the first round of the knock-outs, Sayginer faced the same opponent. The young Turk, former European junior champion, took a great revenge with a 40-38 in 19 victory and eliminated his teaser from the previous round.
The second best run of the tournament was scored by Berkay Karakurt, Omer's younger brother, with a run of 21 against Hayri Altuntaşlar: 40-12 in 11 innings.
Tayfun Taşdemir was eliminated in the quarterfinals by the later winner Lütfi Çenet 40-24 in 18/17 innings. Muharrem Peker lost in the same round to Turgay Orak 40-32 in 20. Omer Karakurt was in the last 8 after his victory over Sayginer. In these quarterfinals, Karakurt lost to Murat Naci Coklu 40-24 in 18. In his turn, Coklu was eliminated by Turgay Orak 40-17 in 19 in the semi-finals. Lütfi Çenet and Muhammet Çavuşoğlu met in the other semi-final. Çenet was the winner with a 40-32 score in 20 innings.
In the final Lütfi Cenet dominated from the start against Turgay Orak and won 40-27 in 23 this first Grand Prix of the season.
Semih Saygıner recorded the highest average of the tournament, Sayginer and Berkay Karakurt received the prize for the best runs.
15-year-old Burak Haşhaş started from the third round in the men's in which he participated for the first time. The young talent survived 9 rounds and a total of 20 games. In the junior category, the semi-final between Alptekin Canözkan and Doğukan Çorbacı ended in 30-21 in 25 for Corbaci. In the other semi-finals Denizcan Akkoca and Burak Haşhaş faced each other. Akkoca defeated the young stuntman of this tournament, Burak Haşhaş, 30-12 in 26/25 innings. He then also won the final 30-22 in 29 against Çorbacı. In the junior tournament Çorbacı scored the best match average with 1,500 in the eighth final against Eren Şodi.
In the ladies semi-finals the match between Güzin Müjde Karakaşlı and Gülşen Degener had an exciting ending. The two players got one and two match points each at 29-29, in the end Degener won the match (30-29 in 31) and qualified for the final. Both Degener and Karakasli scored a run of 6 in the closing stages.
Gülşen Degener then won the final against Arzu Gök, who had qualified by defeating Ayşegül Fendi (30-25 in 59). In the final, Gülsen was the best with 30-21 in 43 innings.
Lütfi Cenet, first Grand Prix winner in Turkey from a field of 1504 players
Gülsen Degener won the thrilling match with Guzin Mujde Karakasli in the semis and then took the final match against Argu Gök
The winners and the organizers during the ceremony
The junior winner Denozcan Akkoca