ATHENS - The 34-year old Filippos Kasidokostas celebrated a new phase in his billiard career with a victory in a Greek Grand Prix tournament at the Trisponto club in Athens. The former Greek wonderboy in billiards, who disappeared from the international stage two years ago due to a nerve problem with his right arm, is back from being away. He defeated Nikos Polychronopoulos, playing all shots with his left hand, in the shoot-out. The tournament, counting for the Greek championship, was the second Grand Prix of this season. Polychronopoulos won the first and is leader after two tournaments. Kasidokostas played with his left hand match averages of 2.667, 2.353, 1.739, 1.667, 1.538 and 1.481.
Filippos Kasidokostas, who became world champion when he was only 26 in Lausanne (2009) and was three times junior world champion, is probably considering an international come-back. The insiders in Greek billiards predicted this Sunday: give him another year. Filippos is practicing only for five or six months with his left hand, but the result is already amazing. It has never happened on the highest world level that a player has made such a come-back.
Kasidokostas showed that he was not in trouble playing with his left hand in this Grand Prix. Even when he had to equalize with five from the spots in the final against Polychronopoulos, Kasido reacted later: ,,Even under pressure, to score the last five points, I could play the break without shaking.'' During the final he had to shoot one time with his right hand: an easy bankshot, which he missed.
In the Luxor World Cup 2016, Kasidokostas played internationally for the last time. After that, he considered an operation, but it seemed to be too risky. Kasidokostas from then only played in national tournaments during the intervening period.
Kasidokostas and Polychronopoulos, the two stars of Greek billiards, played in the final 40-40 in 27 innings. Kasidokostas defeated in the semi-finals Kostas Papakonstantinou 40-26 in 26.
Other remarkable matches were:
Polychronopoulos-Papakonstantinou 40-15 in 14
Kasidokostas-Spyrlos Llanos 40-20 in 24
Kasidokostas-Nick Tremoulis 40-11 in 15 (best match with 2.667).
142 players took part in the tournament.
The final ranking at the second Grand Prix in Athens:
1 Filippos Kasidokostas 1.792-9
2 Nikos Polychronopoulos 1.967-13
3 Kostas Papakonstantinou 1.317-9
4 Thomas Koukis 1.160-9
5 Kostas Kokkoris 1.281-6
6 Spyros Lianos 1.023-10
7 Kostas Antonatos 1.134-8
8 Dionysis Tsokantas 1.096-11
9 Christos Papageorgiou 1.089-9
10 Dimitrios Gkevezos 1.087-9.
The ranking after two Grand Prix tournaments:
1 Polychronopoulos
2 Kasidokostas
3 Papakonstantinou
4 Tsokantas
5 Kokkoris
6 Koukis
7 Antonatos
8 Tremoulis
9 Papageorgiou
10 Lianos
The four final players in the Greek Grand Prix
Filippos Kasidokostas in the stands during his last World Cup in Luxor