HO CHI MINH - The cheers from the packed stands, known from the World Cups in Vietnam, were hushed. Dick Jaspers became winner of the World Cup in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, this Sunday after playing in front of empty stands for two days. ’’It was very special, very bizarre, how we played fort wo days,” Jaspers said in the evening when the honouring had taken place. ’’We are always used to a great atmosphere here, but now the tournament was almost cancelled. In the end, we were only allowed to play without an audience.'' The reason: Vietnam's former president died and all sporting events were cancelled.
Dick Jaspers: ''Before my first match on Friday, I was suddenly told by Vietnamese Bao, the former world champion, that the World Cup was postponed. We were supposed to play on Friday, but the last two days had to be postponed to Monday and Tuesday. I was shocked and said: but that's not possible, we'll all be home by then. It was very strange, nobody knew what was going to happen. Finally, UMB president Farouk Barki ended up negotiating with people in high sports circles. The outcome was that we could play anyway, but without audience.''
So on Sunday, Dick Jaspers became winner of his 32nd World Cup, more or less in a serene silence. The semi-final against Quyet Chien Tran, the Vietnamese, and the final against Jung Han Heo, the Korean, did not have the atmosphere of other World Cups in the Vietnamese stronghold. Jaspers: ’’It didn't bother me that much myself, mind you. People or no people. When I play an important match, I am completely focused on myself and not on what is going on around me.'' The Dutchman won the final with a generous difference, in the semi against Tran it was an exciting fight.
’’My averages were pretty high, I played a very good tournament. I must confess that the Hollywood tables were super good. I felt great on that equipment: stable, reliable and nice and fast. The colour of the cloths was also perfect. It was reflected in the averages and high runs. I am actually not a very good starter, but here I was off to a good start every time. Even once with 17, once with 9 and in the final with 6. So I won almost all matches convincingly and also won the toss almost every time.''
’’I had to fight very hard to win in one match, the semi-final against Tran,” Jaspers confessed. ’’We went right up to the finish and nerves definitely came into the match. I almost made a fatal miss. When we were 48-48, so both still two points, I was very hesitant to make a tough draw shot. I was just dawdling. I thought: no, I can hardly control my cueball, I have to play differently. But in the end, I had 12 seconds left and no time-out. I opted for another solution, but had way too little time. And I missed. It could have been fatal, but fortunately I didn't leave much good and he missed. I made one and missed too, but the next one I was able to finish it off with my second match ball, on a very mean ball. What a relief… I did learn from it, this was a big mistake at this level.''
For Jaspers, it was his first World Cup win in Vietnam. ''That also gave me a special feeling, even though it was completely without people in the stands. It is always special to play here with that heat, the humidity, it always feels clammy and muggy and we, as Europeans, have had a long journey. So the Asians are at an advantage, but luckily I have survived now. I fought for what I’m worth, with the occasional mistakes, because I am not a robot either. Before my preliminary round, I was not in the most dangerous group, so nice to get well into my game. When the big boys came my way, Zanetti, Tran and Heo, I was optimally strong.’’
Dick Jaspers will stay in Vietnam for two more days. He visits a sponsor day at a big billiard centre tomorrow, then will go home on Tuesday. The next mission on international grounds is the World Cup in Ankara.
Dick Jaspers, surrounded by Vietnamese fans and organizers
