Ten European titles: Therese is unique

ANTALYA - The little heart Therese Klompenhouwer made after winning the final was for the new love in her life. The European three-cushion title, the 10th in a row, has also brought new glory to the sporting life of the women's phenomenon. Her European supremacy is only getting more impressive. In Europe, Therese does not know what losing is all about. In Antalya, Turkey, the 39-year-old Dutch lady once again stood on the highest podium as the unbeatable billiard queen, flanked, albeit at a very appropriate distance, by Denmark's Charlotte Sörensen and two Belgian women, Jaimie Buelens and Daniëlle Le Bruyn.

Therese Klompenhouwer (3 January 1983, Nijkerk) is a unique woman in top sport: who in the history of sport has ever managed to win 10 European titles in a row without losing a single tournament? ''I wish I had more opposition,'' she confessed after winning the final against Charlotte Sörensen in Antalya. But the competitors come far behind, whether they are from Denmark, Turkey, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany or Spain these years.

There is an explanation for this, apart from the huge difference in talent, experience and class. Europe's top ladies in three-court almost all have their jobs, like Charlotte Sörensen, who works for the Danish government for 20 years as a tax accountant. And like Belgium's Daniëlle Le Bruyn, who runs a billiard café and has to work many hours all days. Therese has been a professional billiard player for many years, practiced a lot, living for her sport and often playing matches against the best men in her sport. That long experience has only made the Dutch lady stronger. Therese is unthreatened in Europe, at most losing a match at the World championships, which she has now also won five times.

In the Turkish resort of Antalya, Therese Klompenhouwer was again the very best. The 39-year-old Dutch defeated 40-year-old Danish Sörensen 30-21 in 24 innings in the final. It seems like an eternity ago, but Therese's first European title dates back to 2005, when she beat another Dutch player, Gerrie Geelen, in sets.

Therese again faced hardly any opposition in the field of 24 players from Europe. ’’I have been hoping for more opposition for years, because one day a player must come along who can beat me,'' was her first comment after the final. ’’That’s why I am happy with Charlotte Sörensen coming up. She comes from Danish pins billiard, has focused on three-cushion in the last few years and is making big progress.''

Therese defeated Turkey's Güzin Mujde Karakasli 30-14 in 16 innings in the quarter-finals, Belgium's Daniëlle Le Bruyn 30-8 in 22 in the semi-finals and ran away from her opponent from the 20th carom in the final. Therese: ’’I often have to rely on short attacks in important matches, which I did again in this final.'' It was, Therese confessed, also a sign of sporting poverty, that she herself finished with a total average of 1.181 and the Belgian opponents, who made the podium, played 0.450, 0.500, 0.380 and 0.600 on the final days. That's a world of difference comparing to the multiple champion.

''My tenth European title, I’m happy, it’s another star on my palmares,'' Therese gloated afterwards. The absolute women's star said earlier that she wants to arrange her season differently. ''I’m going to play two or three World Cups and no longer the Grand Prix tournaments in my country.''

Does it have to do with the fact that it’s very hard to gain successes for Therese at tournaments with the men's world top? ’’That has something to do with it, but not everything. My private life has changed, I want to be at home more often. And if I had to estimate it, I could quite easily beat many male players from the top on a good day. But then I would have to practice 20 to 25 hours a week. I'm not up for that.''

Charlotte Sörensen, who Therese says is the biggest talent in Europe for now even though she is 40, cannot afford those sacrifices with a full-time job either. ''I'm already happy,'' the Danish said, ''that I could put a bit of pressure on Therese.'' The Dutch spoke highly of Sörensen. Charlotte: ’’The gap is still big, but I am practicing as much and intensively as possible and trying to grow quickly now that my boyfriend and I placed a match table in our house. And I must say: after all, I've only been playing the three cushion game only three and a half years after my career in Danish pins and in pool billiards.''

Therese Klompenhouwer on top with Danish Charlotte Sörensen and Belgian ladies Jaimie Buelens and Daniëlle Le Bruyn

The European podium in lady's three cushion

The four ladies on their way to the ceremony

Therese and Charlotte with the two final referees

Therese in the final match against Charlotte Sörensen