Caudron and Merckx: big name players with golden fingers

VIERSEN – Two players that had seen it all, done it all, fell into each others arms. The Belgian Federation president Reginald Depoorter was overcome with emotion, and the cheering and honking from the stands was deafening.

The World title, won by Eddy Merckx and Frédéric Caudron, was exuberantly celebrated last sunday, both inside the Stadthalle in Viersen and outside. The Belgians have started to make up for the past, on this WC podium. Until last year, this mighty 3-cushion nation had never won the National teams title.

The honor roll mostly had Sweden, Germany, Turkey and Holland on it, no Belgian team had yet succeeded in winning the gold. But then, Merckx en Caudron, players with gold in their fingers, successfully went on a mission last year. The Belgians won their first title, beating Germany in the final.

They extended their reign this sunday, once again in a final against the host country.

Kozoom asked both champions ten questions, on the day after the big win.

Frits Bakker (Kozoom): Two world titles in two years; you two have cleaned a smudge off the Belgian palmares. The best country in the world could no longer be absent from that list, right?
Frédéric Caudron: ,,It is not right for us to claim that we are the best country in the world... But it was in a way inevitable for Belgium to show up on that list. We have more than enough players capable of winning the title.’’
Eddy Merckx: ,, It feels good that we have put Belgium on the map, in this type of competition as well. We should make our presence felt there.’’

FB: You are both in the top-5 of the world, and therefore on paper the best team, but the points still need to be made. Defending your title in such a strong field is quite an achievement. What made the Belgian team so strong, in this tournament?
EM: ,, It is never easy to be the favorite. It feels especially good to have done that twice. We were lucky enough to cover for the other one, when that was most necessary. If you both play brilliantly in one round, and lose in the next, you leave empty-handed.’’
FC: ,,Being the best on paper is no guarantee that you will win. There are plenty of teams capable of winning this. We may be equally strong on both positions, which is not the case for most teams. Our strength? We know each other, we know we both give it our all, never throw in the towel, and do everything to perform well. And if playing well is not in the cards on that particular day, we still try to win anyway...’’

FB: I am not stretching the truth when I say that the match against the Netherlands was the trickiest and most fascinating one in the tournament. Can you describe what that was like, in the final stages?
FC: ,,If the decision falls only in the last one or two caroms, the tension becomes really high. You are constantly aware of the other match, because you know it is not all in your own hands. My own match was not one of the highest quality, but that was made up for by the degree of excitement. I don't think the audience was bored!
EM: ,, That was indeed the match where we looked to be in bad shape. The tension was unbearable, especially in the final few innings. I just fought for every point, and managed to win in the end.’’

FB: Did you both feel your form was as good as it could be on this tournament, even if no superior averages were played?
EM: ,, I just did well to reach the semi-final in the World Cup in Turkey last week. But then again, what is form? In Viersen, you start from scratch and nothing else matters.’’
FC: ,,I feel I did not play my best, in terms of average, but I had the fighting spirit to get the job done. We did average a lot lower than last year, but there are many factors involved (material, tension, form of the day). The only thing that counts though, is the win!’’

FB: How important is that National teams championship for you, and how much did you want it on your individual palmares?
EM: ,,It is still a Word title, so naturally we want to win it. It is all about the honor, because there is no prize money. That is too bad, but it is nice to see that we can still dig so deep without financial motivation.’’
FC: ,,A World title is always welcome, but I still can't understand that it can be organized like this. As World Champions, we are sent home with 375 Euro each. The UMB should set a minimum amount of prize money, but they don't. Most players have an obligation towards their National Federation, which is why most of them even show up. The organization, in my opinion, abuses that. If you look at the filled room, and an admission price of 20 euro per day, it is incomprehensible. And too bad...’’

FB: Is this indeed a tournament with a unique atmosphere?
EM: ,, The atmosphere and the ambiance have taken on a life of its own. The Germans are boisterous, but the Belgians are now also known for making themselves heard. It will give you a full room with tremendous feedback. Then, if you are in the final against the Germans, it is as good as it gets.’’
FC: ,,Yes, there were two camps: the German fans and the Belgian fans. It is a matter of: who is the most vocal :-)’’

FB: You once again had tremendous support from the Belgian supporters. Does that help, in tough moments?
FC: ,,Yes it is nice to get the support from all the fans who have made the trip.’’
EM: ,, It gives you something extra. You never like to lose, but certainly not with that support behind you.’’

FB: I wrote on Kozoom that Eddy had the best start of the tournament, and Fred the best finish. Would you agree?
FC: ,,I played very focussed throughout with only one super match ( 40 in 13 in the semi), the other matches were unspectacular. A better finish? I think Eddy will tell you more or less the same story.’’
EM: ,,Absolutely. I had a glorious saturday. First the match where I won 30 - 1 in 8 innings, then the win over Dick Jaspers, which proved crucial On sunday, Frederic made the difference, and it was enough for me to keep up.’’

FB: What makes this format special? Are you constantly watching the score on the other table?
EM: ,,I don't watch it all the time, but you do have a tendency to want to know. The important thing is, to keep scoring in your own match.’’
FC ,,Playing in a team is always special, and I also think the audience likes it. You must play for your partner as well, not just for yourself. Win together, lose together, but never give up, that is your credo.’’

FB: Did you have time to celebrate the success, or did you travel back home straight after the ceremony?
EM: ,, We have had a drink in the bar, with the Belgian fans. After an hour, they kindly asked us to leave, so we took the celebrations home, with family and some friends.’’
FC: ,,We spent some time with the Belgian delegation and the fans, and then we went home. There is never all that much time to celebrate...’’