BERGISCH GLADBACH - Three days of competition just behind, three days of training, teambuilding to go and Martin Horn is ready for his first big mission in the new year. The most successful German three-cushion player ever starts at the World championships for nation teams in Viersen on Friday, where he is one of the contenders for the podium with Christian Rudolph.
The Germans took four times gold for their own crowd in the long history of this event. Martin Horn, twenty times participator in Viersen, won in 2002 with Christian Rudolph. ,,We also took lots of silver and bronze medals.'' Christian Rudolph previously won three times, twice with Maximo Aquire, once with Hansi Schirmbrand.
Martin Horn has a wonderful year behind with the highlight at the Lausanne Billard Masters: the German took the silver medal, defeated Marco Zanetti in the preliminaries, but lost against the Italian in the final match. This week, at the World championships in Viersen, they meet again, Horn and Zanetti, in the group stage: The German A team is playing against Italy and Luxembourg.
,,I played quite often against Marco in the last few years, mostly matches with a lot of tension until the end. It's always a challenge to play against him, because he is one of the greatest in the world. I hope we can offer the audience a very good game again.''
In the warm up to Viersen, Martin Horn played two promising matches in the bundesliga: a victory in sixteen innings against Herbert Szivacz and in seventeen against Klaus Bosel, bringing his overall average over fourteen matches to 1.922(!).
On Saturday, Horn and his team of Bergisch Gladbach defeated the leader Ravensburg 8-0, partly due to a fabulous Torbjörn Blomdahl, who dashed off his match in only 12 innings.
Martin Horn is ready for Viersen, despite a small miss last night in the Belgian league, where he lost 50-45 (in 26) against Frans van Kuyk. But the confidence is there, the form is good, the ambiance inspires and Horn wants to shine once again for his own audience.
He spoke around the new year with Markus Schönhoff (Kozoom), with a review and a look ahead to three major tournaments in his country this year: the World championship in Viersen, the European championships in Brandenburg and the German Masters, where he defends his title.
Martin: ,,I'm really looking forward to these events: Viersen is an annual highlight. It's my second home, it seems like my own living room. I'm proud every time to stand there with the eagle on my chest. The atmosphere is really huge and I hope we will can be close to the podium again. I look forward to work with our coach, Wolfgang Zenkner. He will arrange and organize everything for us, so that we can keep our minds free and only concentrate on the games. With his help, we can improve the team spirit. We are sure that it can be very important in this tournament.''
Horn foresees another leading role for the Belgians in Viersen. ,,I expect Sweden as a major competitor with Torbjörn Blomdahl really in top form. He will be hard to beat. For us, I hope that we go for a medal, but it is difficult. There are many teams with great players: Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands and Korea. Let's say: when Caudron and Merckx are on their best, it is almost impossible to beat them. But anyway: the Scotch Double system will allow more surprises, so... why not dreaming.''
The German team is practicing in Viersen with its coach Wolfgang Zenkner (l)
,,At the European championships, I would like to win a medal for my country. A European championship at home is very special. I'm going to prepare well for this championship, a beautiful multi-event.''
,,The German Masters is the next highlight in my own country, with a top field and a great organization with Jens Eggers and his team, who do a fantastic job! The ambiance make it special to play. The German Masters is even more important for me than the German German championship, because the best sixteen players come to the start.''
Martin Horn is happy that Kozoom will broadcast all these events. ,,The Kozoom guys are doing a great job, the broadcasts are on the highest level. I would like to give the whole team a huge compliment, also on behalf of many billiard fans.''
His sportive goals for this year are: to shine in those three tournaments and in the competitions in which Horn is playing: in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Austria.
,,I want to continue on the path that I've chosen. Making my own selection, where I want and where I don't want to play. And take my rest in between. My goal during the matches I play, is to come into a flow. Unfortunately, it doesn't happen so much, but when it comes, it is an amazing feeling, that can't be expressed in money, fame or ranking points. That's why I love my sport. It's not always about winning, also just to be myself, both at the billiard and beyond. If I succeed, I am convinced that I will continue to play good. The results are a logical consequence.''
Martin Horn's undoubted highlight of last year was the performance in Lausanne, crowned with a beautiful silver medal after a victory in the semi-finals against Frédéric Caudron. ,,I really was very close to the final win against Marco Zanetti. The best thing is that I've shown that I can compete with the best players in the world. I can still beat them all. That gave me a good feeling. It is a perfectly organized tournament, a privilege to be invited. I felt at home in Lausanne and therefore I was not really surprised that I was able to play so good. I hope to come back again this year.''
The time is not yet ripe for a return to the World Cup stage. ,,I don't know, although I don't exclude it. But at the moment I still feel no hunger to return. I had a long time to think about it. And I feel very well without World Cups, because now I can decide where I want to play and I can do in private life what I want. Billiards on places and with people I really enjoy, that's the reason I select my performances. I like playing where people sympathize and know the game and where I come to the table with passion and energy.''
Martin Horn celebrates a victory at the Lausanne Masters
,,With Bergisch-Gladbach, Laxou, Herentals and Vienna I found fantastic clubs, which enable me to realize what I like. I play with a lot of fun in these leagues and therefore I play well in all thes countries. We eat well, drink a few glasses of wine, talk about God and the world and we play billiards. So, it's good to see that there are so many beautiful things in the world outside the competition. I can now really enjoy. I came to discover the qualities of life, even outside the billiards. And because I enjoy those things, I can concentrate better on the essential elements of billiards. I must think of what our legendary national trainer Werner Naruhn always used to say: ,,You have to make balls, my boy, nothing more.''
The long trips to the World Cups, stay in the (sometimes bad) hotels, being away from home and the knockout system: Horn still can't be inspired to come back. ,,I think, at some point the time for my international comeback will be ripe, I just do not know when...''