ANTALYA - He cheered with joy and could not believe his luck for his first-ever European title. 48-year-old Czech Marek Faus, who lives half-and-half in Germany and Hungary, has been one of the famous classic players for years, but has never been a real winner. That changed overnight today at the European championships in Antalya, where the Czech born player beat in a row Raymund Swertz, Willy Gerimont and finally German Sven Daske in the 47/2 game in the final match. ''I had to wait a long time, but all the happier I am with this title'', Marek commented.
The Czech billiards master, who has a club and has been teaching in some countries for 25 years, only celebrated successes with a team in the Coupe D'Europe so far in his long career. This year, he won the European club title with DBS Douarnenez, together with Dutchman Raymund Swertz and Frenchman Gregory Le Deventec. This European cup he has now won twice with this team and another two times with other teams.
Marek Faus likes to roam from one country to another in his life, regularly popping up in classic tournaments. ''I have a home in Germany and a holiday house in Hungary,'' he says about his life as a semi billiards professional. And about his private life: ’’I have two daughters from a previous relationship and with my new girlfriend a son aged one and a half.''
The European title in 47/2, which is not even his best game type (’’I am more a 71/2 player''), came as an utter surprise. The favorites for the title were Raymund Swertz (whom he greatly admires for his technique as a classical player), Willy Gerimont, Patrick Niessen, Raul Cuenca and Michel van Silfhout, but Marek Faus emerged as the come-back specialist. He joined the best eight after losing against Esteve Mata by 200-188 in 8 innings and seized his next opportunity against Frenchman Brahim Djoubri by 200-64 in 6. The quarter-finals were a highlight. Marek Faus faced Raymund Swertz, the player against whom he has previously lost two finals.
’’Raymund played a sublime match, as we are used to from him, with a final run of 243, but I was able to hit back with 161. Then we played shoot-outs to 25: Raymund missed a bankshot at 7 and I could finish with 25.'' Raymund Swertz later assured: ''I played well, a bit unlucky, that a ball in the extension came out badly, so I had to play a Bankshot over three cushions. I came back cold in the match, after sitting on my chair for 20 minutes during Marek’s run. But after all I say: he punished it wonderfully and is perhaps the rightful champion. Finally, he won against me in 3 innings and against Gerimont in 2 innings. That's high class.''
The match against Willy Gerimont was also a wonderful fight. Marek: ’’I won thanks to a run of 168 and a score 250-227 in 2 innings.'' Sven Daske did the same in those semi-finals: winning in 2 innings against Michel van Silfhout 250-111. That left the Czech and the German facing each other for European gold.
Marek: ’’We felt both a lot of tension, as we had never won a European Championship before. For both of us it was the first time. It took me nine innings, but luckily I won thanks to a run of 157.'' The final score in Marek’s favor: 250-124 in 9.
Marek Faus will start tomorrow in the 71/2 for his next mission. There, he will play in a group of two with Felix Wasser from Switzerland. Raymund Swertz plays in the group with Raul Cuenca, numbers 1 and 2 of the previous championship.
The European podium with Stefan Daske, Marek Faus, Michel van Silfhout and Willy Gerimont
