NEWS October 21, 2008  ET Swiss Open 9-Ball – Oops, I did it again…

The sixth stop of the Euro Tour Season 2008 was not fully booked with 233 participants, but the promoters of the billiards center One Pocket in Payerne could still be very satisfied.

Seeded as number 5 in group C, I started with a walk-through and then played in the first round of the winner’s bracket the Swiss player Eric Marendaz. After a slow start, I found my game and won relatively easily 9-3. My next opponent was Fabian Breuer, a young German talent. I could improve my shape of the previous day and entered the third winners round y winning 9-2. The next match was already the qualification fort he round of the last 32 players in KO format against the Slovenian player Matjaz Erculj. Again, I had a good start and could score a few racks, since my opponent made a couple of concentration mistakes. Then, both players scored a few racks, but I could save my 4 racks advantage and entered the KO bracket winning 9-5.

The draw made me play the Finnish player Markus Juva, who is currently getting better and better.

Playing well and without taking chances, I put the Finn under pressure right from the start and scored a reassuring advantage. I could keep it until the end and entered round 4 with an undisputed 9-3. Here, my opponent was Mosconi Cup team mate Tony Drago from Malta. It is always difficult to play the fastest player on the tour, because one tends to adopt the pace of the Maltese player. However, I tried to focus on my own pace and to control what was happening and started pretty well. I took an advantage and could slow down Dragos game by playing some good safeties. At 8-3, I was too relaxed and lost three unnecessary racks. With my own break, I finally scored the 9-6 and entered the quarter-finals against local hero Dimitri Jungo (SUI).

The match was made of loads of safeties, because there were many difficult tables after the breaks. There was almost no fresh air in the room and I sometimes had the feeling to fade away. It turned out to be a long and tough fight and the Swiss player requested a shot-clock from the officials. I have to notice that all of the matches of the Swiss player lasted very long and were finished at the latest. Perhaps he’d better speed up his own game and leave his opponents play their game. However, the tournament direction decided that there was no need for a shot-clock and the match continued normally. After 2 ½ hours, I won the match 9-5 and had entered the semi-finals.

My opponent, Phil Burford (GBR), is the new junior European Champion in 9-Ball. I had asked the tournament direction to open all the doors and windows, otherwise, I would have had to ask for an oxygen bottle. After a 10 minutes break, the match started and the air in the arena got a bit better and more breathable. I started furiously and made clear that I was about to enter the second consecutive Euro Tour final. The British player was obviously nervous and did not benefit from one or another opportunity, so that I finally scored a clear 9-2 and entered the final.

I had to play Christian Reimering (GER), who had defeated Dutchman Nick van den Berg 9-7 in the semi-finals and who also played his second Euro Tour final this year.

Reimering had the better start and scored the first rack. I equaled the score and scored the 2-1 upon his break. The match was not as great as the semi-final, but this time, I was even lucky. Several times, the balls traveled to my advantage and my opponent never got to his game. I played a solid game, not brilliant, but winning 9-4, I could win fort he third time two consecutive Euro Tour titles.

By qualifying fort he final, I already took over the overall lead, followed by Italian player Bruno Muratore and Dutchman Niels Feijen. Fourth is Nick van den Berg (NED), fifth Thomas Engert (GER) and Mark Gray (GBR) fell from the top spot to rank 6.