MÓSTOLES/MADRID – Ruben Legazpi won the Spanish three-cushion championship in Móstoles, near Madrid, taking his third championship. He defeated Carlos Anguita 40-25 in the final in 22 innings. In the semifinals, Legazpi drew with Sergio Jimenez, with whom he will soon play for Spain at the World Team Championship. Legazpi won the shootout against Jimenez 2-1. Ruben Legazpi has also won nine ranking tournaments in his career so far.
The Spanish champion is a professional player for three years now and feels happy at this stage of his life. The Madrid native is married to Yolanda and has a son (Álvaro) and a daughter (Alma). "I play team competitions in Spain, the Netherlands, France, and normally also in Germany, but that doesn't work out with the calendar this year. I also play in Porto when possible."
Ruben Legazpi's third Spanish title came after a particularly exciting semifinal battle with Sergio Jimenez. "That was a tough fight, as always when we play each other. Sergio is very strong. He started better than me, but I came back strong after the break. I led 26-21, then Sergio started to make runs again and made it 37-31. He missed and gave me a good position. I thought I could finish with a nice 7, but a ball went just in the hole. He made 2 and missed, I missed again, but when I went out, Sergio was able to equalize. In the shootout, he scored one point, I responded with two. Very exciting. In the final after that, Carlos (Anguita) also started better, but I scored 10 to the break and had a strong second half, with 35 points in 16 innings." The coming weeks will be busy for the Spanish champion. "Twice in the Netherlands with Cues&Darts, on the way to the play-offs, in which I'll also can be part of the team. Next week we play in Spain and on the 20th in France. Shortly after that, we'll fly to Germany for the World Championship in Viersen."
"I have a good life now, I'm ranked in the top 20 in the world, and I'm trying to get among the seeded players and reach the World Championship. That's my ambition at the moment, plus I'd love to win a World Cup."
At the Spanish Championship, Carlos Anguita defeated Daniel Sainz Pardo in the quarterfinals (40-17 in 31), Sergio Jimenez won against Jordi Garriga 40-18 in 16 (run 12), Javier Diaz beat Alfonso Legazpi (Ruben's father) (40-34 in 32), and Ruben Legazpi defeated Jaime Sánchez (40-30 in 33).
Anguita was the better of Diaz 40-20 in the semifinals, and Legazpi defeated Jimenez 40-40 on penalties (2-1). Final: Legazpi-Anguita 40-25 in the 22nd.
Ruben Legazpi, third Spanish title