VILA NOVA DE GAIA – The defending champion did what could be expected of him. Dick Jaspers reached the knock-out stage of the World Championship, after an interlude because of a broken billiard. His opponent, Argentinian Juan Pablo Sisterno, put up one hell of a fight though (40-29 in 16 innings).
,,He started off strong and after 10 innings he was leading 21-17'', was Jaspers’ analysis later. ,,I had seen him play in Argentina once, but he had not made much of an impression. From what I saw today, he is a seriously good player. He made everything that had to be made, and finished well too. I had to average over 2 to keep ahead of him.''
The Dutchman who defends his title in Vila Nova de Gaia, had a much better feeling than he had yesterday. ,,I stayed very focussed when the match had to be postponed. We could not play there: I looked at the cloth coming off the rail, you could simply lift it up. I asked Jean Claude Dupont, the UMB chairman to look at it. He instantly agreed, we could not play on that table.''
For the remainder of the tournament, Jaspers will take it round by round. Ever since the WC of 2005, where Dani Sanchex beat Jean Paul de Bruijn in the final, he has not missed the knock-out stage. ,,Today was a great confidence booster, but then, the 16 players that will be left, are all world class.''
Jaspers has every right to expect a good draw for the first round of the main tournament. His general average over two matches is 2.000, which is better than Caudron, Sánchez en Aristazabal, who so far have gone through.