GANDIA - The final win was a model for the whole tournament. In the women's European Grand Prix three-cushion match, played in Gandia, Spain, Therese Klompenhouwer once again stood miles above all her opponents. Three times in the preliminary rounds the Dutch won a match 25-6, once it was 25-7, in the final she triumphed against Turkey's Güzin Mujde Karakasli again 25-6, this time in 20 innings. The only player in this Grand Prix who came closer to Therese was Gülsen Degener, for years a distant rival, but Degener was no real threat either: 30-14 in 24.
Therese Klompenhouwer, with that gigantic palmares, was in another glorious role beating the competition. The Predator Grand Prix was no exception. The Dutch multiple winner regarded the tournament as a kind of sporting holiday, had brought wife and daughter, but did not lose concentration at all. At the blue match tables, Therese was the sovereign ruler, always by wide margins, never, from the preliminary rounds to the final, forced to put up a real fight.
Güzin Mujde Karakasli, one of Therese's closest friends in the circuit, felt ready to make an attempt in the final. The Turkish defeated Charlotte Sörensen, the strong Danish, in the quarter-finals 30-25 in 37, Dutch Karina Jetten in the semi-finals 30-27 in 36, and was under illusions for a power grab in the final.
That dream was quickly disrupted. The final started dramatically for the Turkish (0 in 10 innings), Therese ran away to 11-0, 20-2 and 24-3, never allowing it to become a real match again. Therese's final carom at 30-6 was not even celebrated with subdued cheers. The cool hand accentuated the total lack of excitement. Therese is the proud flagship of women's billiards. That hegemony, anywhere in European appearances, will last for years to come, as young upcoming competitors do not announce themselves for the time being.
Therese finished with an average twice that of her competitors. Güzin Mujde Karakasli was second with 0.600, Karina Jetten third with 0.683, Gülsen Degener fourth with 0.639 and Charlotte Sörensen fifth and best in average of the competitors with 0.740.
The Dutch woman was unable to compete in the premier league with her J&F Auto's team, which narrowly managed to save itself in the Kozoom league, due to the Grand Prix in Gandia. ‘’That makes my weekend even better,‘’ Therese said. ,,I am very happy for them, because I have had great years in The Hague and will sincerely miss everyone there.‘’
Therese herself also enjoyed the weekend in which she again showed herself to be by far the best women's billiards player. ’’The tournament was well organized, the hotel very good. And I played 1.289 on average, I am very satisfied with that. But apart from that, it was a lovely weekend, because Eveline and her youngest daughter came along. We really enjoyed Gandia and the villages around it. We're going out for a nice dinner now and back home tomorrow morning.
The final score:
- Therese Klompenhouwer 12-1,289-7
- Güzin Mujde Karakasli 8-0.600-4
- Karina Jetten 8-0.683-6
- Gülsen Degener 8-0.639-4
- Charlotte Sörensen 6-0.740-6
- Francine Adele van Yperen 6-0.467-4
- Monique van Exter 4-0.575-4
- Steffi Träm 4-0.493-3
- Irena Michalkova 4-0.472-5
- Ana Juarez 4-0.431-4
- Sylvia Eckel 4-0.427-4
- Monika Steinberger 4-0.330-4
Therese Klompenhouwer showint the trophy after her victory