ISTANBUL/ANTALYA - Two World Cup victories in five years and a world title with Turkey have given Murat Naci Coklu's career the brilliance of being a world-class sportsman. The titles are the most recent highlights for the 45-year-old Turkish player, who has become one of the figureheads of Turkish billiards. He is small, modest, averse to spotlights, but a star at the billiard table. This week, he started to play the European Championship for national teams with Semih Sayginer. The new mission is the Antalya World Cup in a few days, heading for new glory?
Kozoom could tempt him for a look into his life, like he never revealed. Murat Naci Coklu (Mr. Nice Guy in billiards) about his young years, his jobs as a young boy, the death of his father, his marriage to Emel, his development as an athlete, his status as a professional athlete and the current state of world billiards.
Passport:
Murat Naci Coklu (Naci for friends)
Born: August 3, 1974
Living in Istanbul
Married to: Emel Kokcelik Coklu
Profession: Billiard player
Favorite athlete: Cristiano Ronaldo
World ranking: No. 12
Major victories:
European champion in 2004
World Cup in Istanbul in 2015
World Cup in La Baule in 2016
World champion with Turkey in 2019
Twice Turkish champion
7 Grand Prix wins
Christmas tournament in the Netherlands.
Kozoom/Frits Bakker: How were your days in your young years, where did you live, where did you grow up?
Murat Naci Coklu: I was born and grew up in the European side of İstanbul. I have one sister, who married and has two children now. We lost our father twenty years ago, he died of cancer. He was an accountant and played billiards just a few times at his school age. We still miss him deeply and remind him for his wonderful character. I left school at the age of 13 when I stopped my education at secondary school, although my parents didn't want it. And after, I started the school of hard knocks at my young age. I had several jobs, like minibus and taxi driver in Istanbul with its crazy trafic, helper in a teahouse, shoeshiner, bootblack busboy. I was introduced to cue sports when I was 18 by friends who took me to Centilmen Billiards in Kanarya. Three years later I joined the army for my military service. I lived with my mother and sister in Avcilar and moved to the other district in Istanbul when I married to Emel. And currently, we are still living in İstanbul.
Kozoom/FB: When, around what age, did you feel that billiards could be your future?
Murat Naci Coklu: I didn't practice any other sports, so billiards meant a lot for me very soon. Having won several local tournaments in Istanbul, in the mid 90's, I was ready for the national competition. I lost my first official event in Trabzon in the group stage against Semih and won my first title in 1999. Then I could say I was a top player, being a frequent member of the Turkish national team. Few years later, in 2004, was the big breakthrough, winning the European title in a top three with Martin Horn and Torbjörn Blomdahl. So, when I decided to go into professional billiard life, I was 30 years old.
Kozoom/FB: When did you meet Emel, who is so important in your life? And do you still have your billiards club in Istanbul?
Murat Naci Coklu: We are together since 2004 and we married in 2009. We have no children yet, but we are taking cure for it. The funny thing is, that Emel started to call me Naci instead of Murat, She said: there are so many Murat's in Turkey. When you call 'Murat', at least five people look at you, because their name is Murat. And after Emel called me Naci, all players and friends do it. I'm not the owner or partner of a billiard club anymore. I had a billiard club before, but I prefered to sell it and focus entirely on billiards. There is one billiard club that I go for practice, in the Ginza Billiards Club near to my home.
Kozoom/FB: Which are your favorite sports and who are your favorite top athletes outside billiards?
Murat Naci Coklu: I like football, I like Messi and Ronaldo as athletes and mostly I like Cristiano Ronaldo, because he is an athlete who prefers to spend money he earns to help people in need.
Kozoom/FB: Do you have a many fans in Turkey?
Murat Naci Coklu: Yes, like all of us, we all have fans. I feel their support during all our tournaments. I would like to thank all of them for supporting us.
Kozoom/FB: How do you think about the current state of billiards? Are you happy with the full UMB calendar with many tournaments in the world?
Murat Naci Coklu: There have been good developments in the last two years. The prize money has been increasing, so our earnings are much better than before. I am happy with the full calendar, even though, I feel tired sometimes, but I can go on because of my passion for billiards.
Kozoom/FB: How does billiards in Turkey look like in its development? Which position on the ranking of all sports has billiards in Turkey? Football is number 1, of course. And billiards still growing?
Murat Naci Coklu: Despite the huge development of billiards in Turkey, our sport is not very popular among other sports. Yes, football comes at number one among popular sports. Basketball is second. Billiards is among the amateur sports. Although we are successful as Turkish players, billiards cannot develop too much, because we don't see much governmental support. But we do better than before in our country. The federation is working hard to improve our sport, it just takes time.
Kozoom/FB: How did your life change now that billiards has become more professional?
Murat Naci Coklu: I could barely earn my living before. We had hard times, but thanks to the growth of billiards in the world, my living standards increased. I can tell you that it was always my dream to have a carom table in my house. Now I have a house where I could put the table and I can do my practices at home whenever I want.
Kozoom/FB: Do you like this life, with many travellings, many tournaments, a lot of days being away from home?
Murat Naci Coklu: I have my days that it gets boring and tiring. When we play many tournaments in a row, we have to travel a lot and we can't share time for our private life. But this is my job and I do it with lots of love. I am happy with this life.
Kozoom/FB: Did you start practicing more and more hours in these recent years when being a professional player? And specific: are there special positions and systems that you train for?
Murat Naci Coklu: I have been practicing at the same pace for years. Thanks to my table at home now, I can find more time. There is no system or position that I specifically work on. I try to focus on the points that I feel I'm missing too much.
Kozoom/FB: Do the tournaments, like World Cups or Survivals in your own country, give you a special feeling? Which other countries in the world do you prefer to play?
Murat Naci Coklu: The events in my country are more special for me, of course. When getting support from our own fans, always makes us happy. Outside Turkey, I love to be in the events which are held in Belgium and Netherlands. Tournament organizations in those countries are much better than in many other places. Also one of my most favorite countries to play is Korea. We can enjoy very professional organizations there. The Korean audience shows an incredible interest in billiards. That makes us all happy to play there.
Kozoom/FB: You took the world title with Turkish team, you were second in the European championship. How do you like to play for your flag and your country?
Murat Naci Coklu: That is a great source of pride. It makes me very proud to bring medals to my country. To make our billiard fans happy in Turkey and show our successes all over the world, is an amazing feeling. As long as I can, I will compete for my country and try to make our fans happy.
Kozoom/FB: When you finished the European tournament this Sunday, there were four days in between for the World Cup start. What did you do, take a rest, relax, or train a lot?
Murat Naci Coklu: As soon as the European Championship was finished, I returned to my home. There were four days until the World Cup. I chose to go back to Istanbul and do my practices at home. I leave for the World Cup this Thursday.
Kozoom/FB: Who are your best friends in billiards to spend most time with during tournaments?
Murat Naci Coklu: I have a lot of friends whom I like to play with in the billiard club. And apart from that, I spend time with Dani, Semih, Tayfun and Lütfi in the tournaments we play.
Thank you for the interview, Murat, Kozoom wishes you lots of luck.
Thanks for persuading him, Emel.