BRANDENBURG - They will face each other in the final of the European championship 47/2 tomorrow, Tuesday, at 10:30am. Two close friends and team mates at the French club Chartres, Willy Gérimont from Chartres, his home city and Xavier Gretillat from Lausanne. The 40-year-old Frenchman has never been that far at the European championship and runs into his baptism of fire. The 46-year-old Swiss has a list of honors with 4 European titles and 8 lost finals. "This will be a very special match.''
Willy Gérimont knocked down the top favorite Raymund Swertz, the finalist of two years ago, beating the Dutch man in the semi-final: 250-4 in 3 innings with a starting run of 228. Xavier Gretillat beat in the same arena the promising starter Eddy Leppens, the defending champion, 250-131 in 2 after a final run of 205.
Until ten years ago, Willy Gérimont was the organizer of parties: in dancings, at weddings and other occasions. He is a professional billiard player now for ten years, lives in Chartres, was born there and has three children ages 2, 8 and 13. Xavier Gretillat has been a police officer in Lausanne all his life, is an absolute routine player at the European championship and is on the world top of the balk-line disciplines for many, many years.
Xavier Gretillat won three European titles in the 47/2, one in 71/2, but also lost a European final 8 times! Willy Gérimont obtained his first French title only five years ago, has developed enormously in the last five years and now has five French titles to his name.
What does it actually mean to play against each other in the final?
Willy Gérimont: ''This is so special for me, not only because it is my first European final, but most of all because I play against my friend and team mate. We know each other very well, which certainly gives extra stress in the match."
Xavier Gretillat, "During my match against Leppens, I often watched the other billiard table, because I hoped so deeply that we could play against each other in the final. I even ran into some troubles in my run, watching the other party too much. It is really wonderful that he made it against Swertz and that we now decide among each other who will be the European champion."
How was the match in your semi-finals against two dangerous opponents?
Willy Gérimont, "I had a great day, first in the quarter final against Marek Faus, with a run of 227 and a miss afterwards, because I took the wrong ball. That never happened to me before, an incredible black-out. Against Raymund Swertz, I started well with a great run. When I was over 200, I got tired and started making mistakes, but luckily I was able to finish it well."
Xavier Gretillat, "I was 131-45 behind after two innings, but then I brought the balls into a good position. It didn't go smoothly, I had to repair from time to time, but it was really a drive for me to see my team mate win. I definitely wanted to be in the final and now it's reality. I am very happy, no matter how it will end. Playing in a final against Willy is a big adventure."
In the quarters, Raymund Swertz and Esteve Mata put up a big fight. The Dutchman and the Spaniard played a draw in five innings, including a 170-run by Mata. In the shoot-out, Swertz finished the 25 points in one inning (10 percent of the distance in the match). Mata missed the break shot, because he played too softly. Willy Gérimont almost made a fatal foul in his match against Marek Faus. He took the wrong ball in a run of 227 after cleaning his cue. Faus, who had a 0 score until then, still came close, but at the end Gérimont won 250-202 in 5 innings. Xavier Grétillat defeated Patrick Dessaint 250-102 in 8, Eddy Leppens beat Arnim Kahofer in the same 8 innings: 250-82.
Xavier Gretillat, the Swiss police man, playing his 13th final at the European championship
Willy Gérimont, in his match against Raymund Swertz on his way to his first European final match