SITTARD – For anyone who still has doubts about his supremacy: Dick Jaspers has just turned 60, he is still bursting with ambition, and immediately showed that he is still king in his home land. On Saturday evening, the world-class player from Brabant won the Grand Prix in Sittard with a rarely seen dominance: nothing but wins with large margins and far above his rivals in average: 2.137. It was his 67th victory in a Grand Prix in the Netherlands. How will this provisional record ever be broken?
The new season, with a Grand Prix just after the summer, shortly before the start of the premier league, coming up a wonderful World Cup, and the World Three-Cushion Championship in Antwerp, could not have started better for Jaspers than with a double against his Dutch rival in titles: Jean Paul de Bruijn. The billiard player from Zeeland, who can only occasionally threaten Jaspers in his own country, was defeated in the Grand Prix final on Saturday by 40-24 in 18 innings. On Sunday afternoon, the two giants, born in the same year, will face each other again, this time in Sluiskil for the premier league.
At the age of 60, Dick Jaspers has already laid his nefarious plans on the table. The healthy doubts have been there for years (how long can I keep this up?), but reality always shows in titles, rankings, and averages. The competition always takes a back seat, although Jaspers rarely loses a match. The real start of the new season is at the top of the calendars with the World Cup next month in Antwerp, immediately followed by the World Championship. And everyone knows where Jaspers wants to peak every year. The world title, the world gold, of which he already has five to his name, is what matters most to him.
The benchmark, exactly one month before the start of the World Championship, has made a big impression. Dick Jaspers played a superior tournament at De Biljartacademie in Sittard, with all his national rivals at a respectful distance. Jean Paul de Bruijn was able to keep up with him the longest, but bowed to the master in the final. Dick Jaspers also easily defeated Adrie Demming in the semi-final, one of the players who, together with Erwin Kivits, seems to be blowing new life into the traditional top field. Jaspers shone against Demming 40-17 in 16.
Jaspers' strength was evident in his performances in the knockouts: in the first round against Huub Wilkowski 40-19 in 18 (2.222), in the quarter-final against Dave Christiani 40-21 in 24 (1.666), then 40-17 against Demming (2.500) and 40-24 against De Bruijn (2.222). Four of the three matches were above 2 on average, with no opponent even coming close.
Who were the other standouts in this Grand Prix? Jean Paul de Bruijn, apart from his place in the final with 2,857 against Erwin Kivits, as did Adrie Demming against Kay de Zwart (2,857 and 2,153), Dave Christiani and Jeffrey Jorissen with 2.666 on average, Joey de Kok with 2,428 (loser against Jorissen). Jean van Erp with a top game of 40 in 9 and a run of 17. And just before the final, Jean Paul de Bruijn and Jeffrey Jorissen played a thriller, decided at the finish line. The ‘Zeeuw’ conquered his nerves for the winning carom: 40-39 in 26.
The final standings at the Grand Prix in Sittard (average, series):
1 Dick Jaspers 2,137-11
2 Jean Paul de Bruijn 1,514-11
3 Jeffrey Jorissen 1,852-12
4 Adrie Demming 1,432-14
5 Dave Christiani 1,616-14
6 Jean van Erp -1.462-17
7 Kay de Zwart 1.404-11
8 Barry van Beers 1.260-8
9 Erwin Kivits 1.631-14
10 Sam van Etten 1.600-8
11 Raimond Burgman 1,494-14
12 Joey de Kok 1,323-8
13 Volkan Cetin 1,285-8
14 John. Van der Stappen 1,190-10
15 Harrie van de Ven 1,050-9
16 Huub Wilkowski 1,040-9