DOETINCHEM - Two final players of the last World Cup and a field of top Dutch billiards players kick off today (Thursday, 14 December) at De Veemarkt in Doetinchem for the Grand Prix three-cushion. Dick Jaspers, after his victories in Sittard and Rosmalen, leads the field of finalists vying for 16 places at the Masters, the Dutch championship. The top 16 in the standings for now consists of Dick Jaspers, Jean Paul de Bruijn, Jeffrey Jorissen, Dave Christiani, Barry van Beers, Jean van Erp, Raimond Burgman, Glenn Hofman, Huub Wilkowski, Frans van Schaik, Joey de Kok, Sam van Etten Raymund Swertz, Volkan Cetin, Kay de Zwart and Jerry Hermans. With those 32 in total, it will go from Thursday to the finals on Saturday. Those matches starting with the quarter-finals on Saturday will be broadcast live on Kozoom.
The matches leading up to the knock-outs are Thursday and Friday. That group will continue to be played after that. Dick Jaspers starts his tournament on Thursday at 11.00 against Frits Broeders, Jerry Hermans against Jack Wijnen. That group will continue at 3pm and at 7pm.
Thursday matches also include:
Group B: Jean Paul de Bruijn, Jan Viskil, Kay de Zwart and Adrie Demming.
Group G: Raimond Burgman, John van der Stappen, Frans van Schaik, Rene Dericks.
Group H: Glenn Hofman, Erwi Kivits, Huub |Wilkowski, Gert-Jan van der Veen.
After this Grand Prix, the final field will be composed for the Masters, which will be played with the best 16 of the ranking from 17 to 21 January in Berlicum.
The final preliminary rounds were finished in De Veemarkt on Tuesday in an excellent entourage. Jan Viskil topped the list of placed players after those final qualifiers with four match points and 1.250. Frits Broeders, John van der Stappen, Michael Vink, Menno de Vries, Erwin Kivits, Fred Driessen and Harrie van de Ven (highest run, 11) will go to the main tournament as group winners.
The runners-up were Rene Dericks, Paul Bruijstens, Gert-Jan van der Veen, Jack Wijnen, Bert van Manen, Adrie Demming, Roland Uijtdewillegen and Jack van Peer.
The seeded players for the GP in Doetinchem:
Group A: Dick Jaspers, Jerry Hermans, Frits Broeders, Jack Wijnen
Group B: Jean Paul de Bruijn, Kay de Zwart, Jan Viskil, Adrie Demming
Group C: Jeffrey Jorissen, Volkan Cetin, Harrie van de Ven, Roland Uijtdewillegen
Group D: Dave Christiani, Raymund Swertz, Fred Driessen, Paul Bruijstens
Group E: Barry van Beers, Sam van Etten, Menno de Vries, Jack van Peer
Group F: Jean van Erp, Joey de Kok, Michael Vink, Bert van Manen
Group G: Raimond Burgman, Frans van Schaik, John van der Stappen, Rene Dericks
Group H: Glenn Hofman, Huub Wilkowski, Erwin Kivits, Gert-Jan van der Veen.
A cup of soup and Ton Smilde's camera are ready for a wonderful Grand Prix.