HO CHI MINH - The supremacy was overwhelming, the victory impressive. Dick Jaspers won his 32nd World Cup this Sunday after a rarely seen exhibition of high class. The 59-year-old Dutchman defeated one of the strong Koreans, 48-year-old Jung Han Heo, in the Vietnamese stronghold of Ho Chi Minh. The final was a one-man show because, as in previous appearances, Jaspers again had a whirlwind start and saw Heo disappear out of sight very quickly: 50-33 in 20/19. Jaspers, who played 2,302 in Ho Chi Minh and had a 17 run from the start, now leads the world ranking with 498 points and a big lead over Quyet Chien Tran with 346 and Myung Woo Cho with 286.
The build-up to the eventual final gave Jaspers a boost against perennial rival Marco Zanetti (50-22 in 17), and in the thriller against Vietnamese frontrunner Quyet Chien Tran in the semi-final (50-48 in 30). The European-Asian clash on the final stage in Ho Chi Minh made Jaspers once again a feared opponent for Koreans and Vietnamese. The stage eventually counted only 1 European, who topped the table with two Koreans and one Vietnamese.
In the final battle, Jaspers ran to a 33-10 lead after 10-9 with a run of 13. The match rolled entirely in Dutch favor until Heo suddenly hit back at a score of 36-15 and brought some tension into the match with a run of 12 (43-33 in 17). The counter was the final wake-up for Jaspers: the knockout came with a small run by Jaspers and after 1 missed match ball a final score of 50-33 in 20/19.
So close to his 60th birthday (23 July 1965), Jaspers seems to be in the prime of his career. In the world rankings he is the superior No 1, in the World Cup standings Jaspers won his 11th tournament in 10 years this Sunday with only two blank years in the Corona period. The Dutch star player's international record is still growing every year. The flawless combination of brilliant class, mental strength, passion and inspiration makes him the absolute number one of this generation. For Jaspers, the threat from Asian countries is yet another inspiration in his career after his many huge successes. It only makes him more eager to compete with the new crop of talents.
Jaspers, 25 at that time, won his first World Cup in Tokyo in 1991. That was still in the Ceulemans/Blomdahl era with the BWA in power. He beat Marco Zanetti in the final. Two years after that Jaspers remained winless, then again winning his second in 1994 in Istanbul, Turkey, with the two champions Ceulemans and Blomdahl on the podium.
Semifinals
Dick Jaspers-Quyet Chien Tran 50-48 in 30/29
The latest Vietnamese public hero once again gets to know the unlikely mental strength of Dick Jaspers. The Dutchman gets off to a 9 start against Quyet Chien Tran, in the phase that follows it all evens out: Jaspers has a remarkably weak period between the 5th and 10th innings, in which he produces six zeros. Tran seizes his chances and takes a lead 25-15 and in the 15th inning 34-25. The home crowd cheers along and prepares for the finale. Dick Jaspers, never beaten before the last carom, comes back first with 7 (35-40) and with a run of 4 to 48-48 in the 28th inning. Nerves are howling through the arena as both players are in the final rush with two points to go. Jaspers does so first with 1, Tran misses and Jaspers finishes gloriously in the 30th inning.
Jung Han Heo-Bong Joo Hwang 50-42 in 33
The Korean clash starts with a one-man show from Heo, who rans out to 22-2 in 10 after eight zeros from Hwang. Then Heo also loses his way for a while with six zeros in a row, the score is more balanced after 20 innings: 27-19. The match seems to regain some tension, as within sight of the finish the score is even 43-42. Then comes the decisive attack by Jung Han Heo, who plays out in the 33rd inning with 7.
The overview of the 2025 World Cup in Ho Chi Minh:
The 2025 Vietnamese World Cup will have a historical flavour with high scores and top runs, such as by Sergio Jimenez, who makes a 24, and Dick Jaspers, who takes off with 17. The level is frighteningly high with many scores over 2, also from outsiders in the field.
Vietnamese Nguyen Nhu Le is one of them. He comes from nowhere, is undetectable on the rankings, but plays like a real grandmaster with the best average from one of the qualifying rounds.
The other phenomenon from an unexpected corner is Sergio Jimenez, the Spaniard who collected some vice titles in his own country but could never shine in major tournaments. In this World Cup in Ho Chi Minh, Jimenez is growing above himself. The best moment of the tournament is Jimenez's run of 24 in the first rounds of the main draw. The Spaniard makes the 24 in the fifth inning of his match against Van Tri Nguyen. Jimenez beats Myung Woo Cho, the world champion, to win his group with 2.352 average. Other impressive scores in that early stage include Dick Jaspers with 2.307, Quyet Chien Tran with 2.264 and Thanh Tien Tran with 2.240. The big names who disappear from the scene in that round are Eddy Merckx, Myung Woo Cho, Jun Tae Kim, Martin Horn, Phuong Vinh Bao and Frédéric Caudron, who quits the battle against Sameh Sidhom after an incident with his wife in the stands, in which the Belgian is 28-16 behind and does not play on.
Sergei Jimenez also wins against Tayfun Tasdemir, but takes his last steps in this World Cup against Jung Han Seo. The Vietnamese are also gradually leaving the arena: Nguyen Nhu Le against Dick Jaspers, Thanh Tien Le against Haeng Jik Kim, Van Ly Dao against Bong Joo Hwang and Dinh Quoc Nguyen against Quyet Chien Tran, the only one from the home country remaining.
The role of the Turks and South Americans was minimal. Tayfun Tasdemir was the only Turk after the first shuffle in the main tournament. He lost to Sergio Jimenez in the next round. The South Americans were absent except for three. Alexander Salazar was the only well known player. The Colombian was eliminated in the last round of qualifiers with 2 match points and 1,500. The Egyptian wildcard holder was unsuccessful. Mohamed Abdin finished with 0 points out of 3 and 0.770 on average. In the end, the most successful were the Koreans with three players in the best 8.
Jaspers with the trophy in Ho Chi Minh
Dick Jaspers, the best again with his 32nd World Cup win
The four final players in Ho Chi Minh
Sergio Jimenez, revelation in Ho Chi Minh
The highest runs came to the name of:
Sergio Jimenez 24
Dick Jaspers 17
Myung Woo Cho 15
Frédéric Caudron, Thanh Tien Le and Van Ly Dao 14
Quyet Chien Tran, Dick Jaspers, Haeng Jik Kim, Roland Forthomme and Dinh Quoc Nguyen 13.
The final ranking of the World Cup in Ho Chi Minh:
1. Dick Jaspers 14-2,302-17
2. Jung Han Heo 10-1,758-12
3. Quyet Chien Tran 10-2,061-13
4. Bong Joo Hwang 8-1,729-9
5. Sergio Jimenez 8-1,989-24
6. Sameh Sidhom 7-1,990-9
7. Haeng Jik Kim 6-1,800-13
8. Marco Zanetti 6-1,669-11
9. Van Ly Dao 6-2,125-14
10. Thanh Tien Le 4-2,125-14
11. Jeffrey Jorissen 4-1,814-9
12. Roland Forthomme 4-1,628-13
13. Ruben Legazpi 4-1,542-9
14. Dinh Quoc Nguyen 4-1,033-13
15. Nguyen Nhu Le 3-1,330-9
16. Tayfun Tasdemir 2-1,483-7
17. Eddy Merckx 4-1,909-9
18. Martin Horn 4-1,548-9
19. Ryuuji Umeda 3-1,260-11
20. Jun Tae Kim 2-1,796-8`
The new world ranking:
- 2. Dick Jaspers 498
- 3. Quyet Chien Tran 346
- 4. Myung Woo Cho 286
- 5. Thanh Luc Tran 281
- 6. Tayfun Tasdemir 268
- 7. Jung Han Heo 258
- 8. Eddy Merckx 256
- 9. Jun Tae Kim 254
- 10. Sameh Sidhom 244
- 11. Marco Zanetti 242
- 12. Tolgahan Kiraz 232
- 13. Berkay Karakurt 183
- 14. Martin Horn 182
- 15. Phuong Vinh Bao 178