MEDELLIN - He returns to the country where he won his first world title in the final against Torbjörn Blomdahl next week. Frédéric Caudron is nowadays a much more laureled player than in 1999, an absolute heavyweight in the world of three cushion, with a second world title (won in the great atmosphere at the Lotto Arena in Antwerp) and the number one in the world.
Kozoom had a short interview with the reigning world champion in the days before his departure to Colombia where he is playing the World Cup in Medellin next week.
Frits Bakker : For the first time in your career, both the world champion and the world’s number one. Can you describe that feeling, must be gorgeous.
Frédéric Caudron: ,,The feeling is indescribable. Win the world title in Antwerp, with your own fans, your own audience… And even more important is to be the new world’s number one.’’
FB : Do you enjoy these days? And were you very busy with celebrations and interviews after the World championship?
FC: ,,I could not enjoy so long, because two days later we had a league match in Belgium. And indeed it was very busy: interviews, messages, emails...’’
FB : How do you like that, all those compliments, people who want to celebrate the title with you? Can I have an autograph, Fred, can I have a picture with you, Fred?
FC: ,,I can handle it pretty well, I have patience and never refuse for a photo or an autograph.’’
FB: The form was still stable, last week in the Netherlands for the competition, this week in Belgium against Dick Jaspers, you don’t seem to be very tired.’’
FC: ,,The form is good enough, but I realize there are some signals. A certain mental fatigue, I think, after the stress of the World championship. And it takes some time to handle with that.’’
FB: What did you do with the diamond cue that you've won? You took it home? Will you ever play with it?
FC: The cue is in a safe place, of course... and no, I will never play with it, firstly because it is not properly balanced and secondly because it is a competing brand of Longoni. I never want to deal with that, because of the past…’’
FB : What does it mean to you, a world title, even for a player who’s won so many titles in his career?
FC: ,,It's not my first world title, not even my first tournament. You learn quickly that you should not rest on your laurels, because there are other tournaments very soon.’’
FB: When you won your first world title, in Bogota, Colombia, how was the atmosphere there?
FC: ,,Also in Colombia there was a surprising amount of spectators (for the first time I saw a billiard room with nearly 2000 people). The atmosphere was very special, like in Antwerp. The audience responds much more than in Europe.’’
FB: What’s sticking in your mind about that tournament? How was the finish for you? Who did you beat you in the semi-finals and the final. What do you remember of these matches?
FC: ,,I do remember that I was so ill that week, I had stomach problems. But yet I defeated players who were better than me. Sang Lee in the quarterfinals, Jaspers in the semis and Blomdahl in the final. I struggled to the final and Blomdahl had not lost one set yet. So he was definitely the favorite. But when I won the first set, I thought, nothing can happen, I was the only player who took a set from Blomdahl. That already made me very happy. And certainly after I won the match :-)’’
FB: And if you look back after your win, reminding the atmosphere in the stadium and outside.
FC: ,,The atmosphere was exceptional, I was even recognized by a taxi driver on the way to the airport. ’Hey, I saw you on tv!’ That was wonderful!’’