OOSTERHOUT - The Dutch women's three-cushion title went to Karina Jetten for the first time in many years. The 53-year-old lady from Limburg, the eternal number two in the Netherlands, won the final in Oosterhout this Sunday against Therese Klomenhouwer, who has to relinquish the Dutch gold after 17 titles in a row. The title for Karina Jetten is the first in her career, but is not entirely unexpected. The Limburgian is in the form of her life, has also been on the World championship podium and won a Grand Prix in the final against Klompenhouwer. For once, the roles were reversed: Jetten dominated the final, leading 11-0 in five innings and eventually beat Klompenhouwer 30-24.
The championship is warmly welcomed by everyone in the billiard world for the Limburgian, girl friend of Roland Forthomme. For years, she competed in the shadow of Dutch billiard queen Therese Klompenhouwer. Always Jetten settled for that supporting role, always there was an almost unwinnable battle, never an unkind word. Therese Klompenhouwer was the ruler and rarely tolerated opposition.
The temporary turnaround announced itself this year and last year. Therese Klompenhouwer missed out on the world title twice in two years, lost an attractive Survival in Seoul, was beaten in the Grand Prix in Belgium by Jetten and now also had to leave the Dutch title, which she won 17 times in a row, to her opponent. Have times changed? Anyway, Therese Klomenhouwer has been vulnerable for some time, even in her home land.
Karina Jetten, unlike Therese an amateur in women’s billiards with a job, was allowed to celebrate the title in an ambiance with many billiard fans. In front of that compassionate arena in De Eekhoorn, Jetten actually showed herself the best on the championship gala. She was good in the preliminaries, won by advantage in the knock-outs vs Sylvia Eckel (30-17 in 49), Monique van Exter (30-15 in 40) and finally in the final match.
Therese Klompenhouwer played the preliminary rounds with ups and downs, one superb game of 25 in 10 innings, but then another remarkably mediocre start to those knock-outs with a win against Gerrie Wierstra (30-26) and only 0.666 average. The top favorite seemed back with a win in the semi-final against Daisy Werdekker 30-13 in 22. She missed the start (trailing 11-0 in 5), came back strongly and was first at the break (15-14), then the better final sprint was for champion Karina Jetten.
,,I am super happy with it, especially because it was such a strong final,‘’ Karina said after the homage and victory in that final with 1.428 average against Therese with 1.200. ‘’We all know how difficult it is to win against Therese, so actually I didn't feel much stress on beforehand. The start was good, I was able to play position and was also able finish well later in the important phase.‘’
Was it a relief, a liberation after losing so many times to Therese at the NK? ’’I don't want to say a relief, I'm just happy about it, but you know how I am: I grant it to another as much as I win it to myself. We just played open, I exploited just a bit more chances and it was a nice final. In front of a lot of spectators, which also makes it even nicer.‘’
Karina Jetten cannot count the second places in those 17 years of Therese Klompenhouwer's hegemony. ‘’I have a house full of silver, now it has finally worked out,‘’ is a first reaction. Does she also really feel stronger in recent years? ,,Yes, she does. We have a billiard table at home, I train a bit more, play a bit more. But to be honest: never with Roland. We are both such different billiard players. So we have to share the table fairly to train alone.‘’
Therese Klompenhouwer and Karina Jetten remain numbers 1 and 2 in the national rankings and will therefore definitely play the World championship and European Championship.
Karina Jetten with the Dutch champion trophy
Karina Jetten, the champion (right) with Monique van Exter, Daisy Werdekker and Therese Klompenhouwer, the silver winner